LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Welsh Language

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Leader of the House what recent changes there have been in the use of the Welsh language in the conduct of public business by the House; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The most recent change in the use of the Welsh language in the formal proceedings of the House followed the First Report of the Procedure Committee in 2000–01 (HC 47). On 5 March 2001, the House endorsed the Committee's recommendation that Welsh could be used by Select Committee witnesses giving evidence in Westminster, as well as in Wales.

Westminster Hall

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House if he will make it his policy to have senior Ministers reply to debates in Westminster Hall.

Peter Hain: Since its creation in 1999 Westminster Hall has proved itself a popular and valuable debating chamber covering a wide variety of political issues. Government Departments take into consideration the topic of the debate and the division of ministerial responsibilities when deciding which Minister should respond. It is not necessarily the case that the Minister most suited to responding will be the most senior Minister in any given Department. However, all Ministers who respond to debates in Westminster Hall do so with the full authority of the relevant Secretary of State.

TRANSPORT

Air Quality

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action the Government are taking to improve air quality, with particular reference to use of alternative road fuels.

David Jamieson: Alternative fuels receive considerable support from Government, in the form of significant fuel duty incentives, grants for vehicle conversions under the PowerShift Programme, and reduced rates of Vehicle Excise Duty and company car tax for cleaner vehicles. In the December 2003 pre-Budget report, the Chancellor published the Alternative Fuels Framework, which sets out the basis on which support will, in future, be provided for clean, low carbon road transport fuels. In particular, it includes a commitment to provide three-year certainty on duty differentials for all alternative fuels from Budget 2004.

Air Safety

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in descending order airlines using British airports by their air safety records.

Tony McNulty: The safety of UK airlines is overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority to a high standard. Foreign airlines operating to the United Kingdom are required to be operated in accordance with the minimum safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. They are regulated by aviation authorities of their home states.

Alternative Fuels

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of changes in grants for people to convert vehicles to run on liquefied petroleum gas.

David Jamieson: Currently, grants are available for the purchase/conversion of vehicles to run on liquefied petroleum gas under the Powershift and CleanUp programmes administered by the Energy Saving Trust. In 2003–04 these two programmes provided grants for the purchase/conversion of around 3,000 vehicles. In response to this year's increase in demand for these programmes, the Trust have discussed the appropriate level of Powershift and CleanUp grants for next year with stakeholders, and estimate that a similar number of vehicles will be converted/purchased during 2004–05.

Alternative Fuels

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government is taking to meet its targets on use of (a) compressed natural gas and (b) hydrogen as road fuels.

David Jamieson: Our plans for encouraging the promotion and use of clean, low carbon vehicles and fuels are set out in the Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, published in July 2002. The Government has no formal targets for the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) or hydrogen as road fuels. But it supports the development and use of these and other clean, low carbon fuels in a number of ways, including through fuel duty differentials and other fiscal incentives, and by means of purchase grants to offset the additional cost of vehicles operating on these fuels. The Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed in the Pre-Budget Report in December 2003, for example, that compressed natural gas (CNG) would continue to benefit from the very low fuel duty levels it currently enjoys for at least another three years. We are also currently supporting the trials of three hydrogen-powered buses in London, and subject to the outcome of these trials the Government intends to exempt hydrogen from fuel duty for a limited period in the future to encourage further development and uptake.

Bardon Signal Box

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated cost of the planned alteration work to Bardon Signal Box on the Leicester to Burton railway line is.

Tony McNulty: This is an operational matter for Network Rail. I have passed this question to Network Rail, for them to respond directly to the hon. Member.

Bus Passes

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each local authority the cost of a bus pass for pensioners.

Tony McNulty: Under the Transport Act 2000, all local authorities are required to issue a bus pass free of charge to older and disabled people entitling the holder to local bus travel within their district for at least half the single journey bus fare. However, local authorities are able to offer more generous schemes or alternative schemes to the statutory minimum if they wish. Many local authorities offer alternative travel schemes, which entitle older people to greater travel benefits and in some cases an annual fee is charged for the pass for these alternative schemes. The cost and extent of the alternative pass varies from one local authority to another. Those that charged for the pass for an alternative scheme, following the introduction of the statutory minimum scheme in June 2001, are listed in the following table, which is reproduced from Transport Statistics Bulletin "Concessionary Bus Fares Schemes England 200l", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. This is currently being updated and the latest information will be published later this year. Other authorities providing an alternative scheme may offer the pass free of charge.
	
		Table: Local authorities that in 2001 charged a fee for an alternative concessionary travel scheme in addition to the statutory minimum half fares with a free pass
		
			 Name of authority Annual fee (2001) Alternative concession 
		
		
			 Basildon, Essex £100 Free travel in district 
			 Bracknell Forest UA £40 Free travel for those aged 75 or more. 
			 Braintree, Essex £110 Free travel in district 
			 Brentwood, Essex £54 Free travel in district 
			 Bridgnorth, Shrops £30 Free travel in whole county 
			 Colchester, Essex £159.45 Free travel, plus travel tokens 
			 Darlington UA £52 or £62 £52 for free travel in urban area, £62 for free travel in all UA 
			 Dartford, Kent £5 Fee to get flat fare of 20p within borough 
			 East Staffordshire £10 Free travel 
			 Eden, Cumbria £5 Free travel in district 
			 Harlow, Essex £33 Free travel in district 
			 Hertsmere, Herts £36 Free travel in district 
			 Ipswich, Suffolk £1 District scheme for 25p flat fare 
			 Maldon, Essex £150 Free travel 
			 Middlesbrough UA £10 Fee for fare reductions 
			 North Wiltshire £5 For reduced rate travel 
			 Preston, Lancashire £10 For free travel for those aged 70 or over 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA £12 Fee for fare reductions 
			 Sevenoaks, Kent £20 Fee to get flat fare of 20p 
			 Shrewsbury and Atcham, Shrops. £115 For free travel in the borough, half fare in the county, also produces a £15 permit for reduced rate travel 
			 Slough UA £30 Fee to get free travel in UA 
			 South Buckinghamshire £20 Permit gives free travel from age 70 
			 St Albans, Herts £57 Free travel in district 
			 Stevenage, Herts £25 Free travel in district 
			 Stockton on Tees UA £5 Fee for fare reductions 
			 Suffolk Coastal £13.50 Fee for fare reductions 
			 Telford and The Wrekin UA £80 Free travel throughout UA, half fare in Shropshire and to some towns beyond 
			 Three Rivers, Herts £25 Free travel in district 
			 Worcester City £8 Allows 25p flat fare or 40p return fare 
			 Wyre, Lanes £5 Reduced rate travel

Computerised MOT Test

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) expected in-service delivery date and (b) cost of the computerised MOT test were when the contract was let; and what they are expected to be now.

David Jamieson: The information is as follows:
	(a) in the original contract the expected start of roll-out date for the computerised service was May 2002 at a transaction charge per recorded test of £1.07.
	(b) the current contract stipulates that roll-out of the service should have started by mid-February 2004 with no increase in transaction charge. The start of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency's (VOSA) testing has been delayed following slippage in SBS Software and an independent review of progress has recommended changes to plans to reduce risk and allow for additional testing. In the light of the review team's recommendations VOSA are discussing a revised programme with SBS. Discussions are not yet complete—but on current expectations the service is unlikely to be rolled out until late 2004.

Computerised MOT Test

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what penalty clauses are available for his Department to invoke should Siemens fail to deliver the computerisation of the MOT test (a) on time, (b) within cost estimates and (c) to the specification.

David Jamieson: This is a PFI contract between my Department's Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and Siemens Business Services (SBS) and SBS bear the risk of late or unsatisfactory delivery of the service. The contract provides that if MOT Computerisation is not delivered:
	(a) on time—SBS would not receive payments under the contract until the computerised service is available to MOT stations and delay would reduce the term of the contract. Therefore SBS would be penalised by extra costs as well as reduced income and profit;
	(b) within cost estimates—under the contract SBS would bear the risk of increased development costs. They could also be subject to claims for liquidated and other damages for extra VOSA costs if they are responsible for delays;
	(c) to the specification—the system will not be rolled out to MOT stations until it has satisfactorily completed field trials against the specification. SBS would bear the cost of corrective action to meet the specification and of consequent delays and would not receive any payments until the service is operational. Under the contract VOSA can withhold some transaction payments from SBS if the operation of the system does not meet specified minimum service levels.
	As with any PFI contract VOSA has termination rights in specified circumstances.

Cycling

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how the Government are planning to focus resources on the provision of a bicycle-friendly road network within its 10 year Transport Plan.

Tony McNulty: Local authority investment in cycling has increased by more than a third since 2001–02 and we will continue to encourage such investment. The Department has also obtained reports on highway authority provision for, and promotion of, cycling, with a view to encouraging specific actions to increase cycling levels. The Department's design guidance will also be updated.

Dibden Bay Container Port

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received from the promoters of the Dibden Bay container port proposal a legally binding undertaking for an environmental mitigation compensation scheme in the vicinity of Dibden Bay.

David Jamieson: No.

Disabled Drivers

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government has to address road fuel poverty (a) in remote and rural areas and (b) for disabled drivers.

Tony McNulty: Transport and accessibility are vitally important factors in social exclusion in remote and rural areas. The Government's strategy for improving access to jobs and key services for people in remote and deprived areas is set out in the SEU Report "Making the connections" which the DfT is responsible for implementing. The strategy contains 37 key policies, which crucially do not just involve improving transport but changing where and how services are delivered. Sixteen of the policies have already been implemented and a further thirteen policies and initiatives are under way, including a project to improve travel information and journey planning for job seekers.
	Fuel duty rates and other forms of motoring taxation are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who takes decisions on a Budget by Budget basis taking a range of economic, social and environmental factors into consideration. Some disabled people, for example, are able to claim an exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty, which can mean a saving of up to £165 a year.

Driving (Mobile Phones)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's message of safer driving with particular reference to using mobile telephones while driving.

David Jamieson: Good progress is being made on the government's message of safer driving, which is taken forward under the THINK! road safety publicity campaign. THINK! uses a range of media channels—TV, radio, press, posters etc.—to provide a national platform to complement regional police and local authority activities. In addition it encourages broader support from private sector partners and works to generate media interest in road safety issues. Current awareness of THINK! stands at 71 per cent. among all drivers and 89 per cent. among male drivers under 35-years-old.
	The THINK! campaign covers various themes throughout the year. The dangers of driver distraction caused by use of mobiles phones while driving was a key safety message in spring last year. More recently, we ran promotional activity to publicise the new regulations regarding hand held mobile phones introduced in December 2003.
	Activity included national radio advertising, national press advertising, e-mail information to the top 1,000 UK companies/central and local government departments, a national press release, plus use of Variable Message Signs on motorways. We also produced new guidance, including leaflets, posters and information on the THINK! and DfT websites, for road safety officers in Local Authorities and others.
	Research carried out for the Department by TNS in February 2004 showed that 96 per cent. of drivers were aware of the new mobile phones law. The research also showed that, there was an increase in the number of drivers claiming to keep their mobile phones switched off while driving, from 17 per cent. in November 2003 to 23 per cent. in February 2004.
	The Department will continue to re-iterate the dangers of driver distraction surrounding the use of mobile phones, focussing on the simple message "Switch off before you drive off". Radio advertising ran in January 2004 and advertising in cinemas runs from 5 March 2004 for three weeks.

Driving Tests

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving theory tests were booked in each year since 19 December 2001; and what proportion of such tests was booked online.

David Jamieson: The total number of theory tests booked, and the proportion booked online, since 19 December 2001 when the facility to book via the Driving Standards Agency's website became available are:
	
		
			  Total number of theory test bookings Percentagebooked online 
		
		
			 December 2001 56,460 0.278 
			 2002 1,484,944 9.382 
			 2003 1,486,261 24.497 
			 2004 to date 129,326 39.761

Emissions Regulations

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce statutory regulation on emissions from (a) motorcycles and (b) powered two-wheel vehicles.

David Jamieson: Emissions from new motor cycles and other powered two wheeled machines are already regulated by the Motor Cycles Etc (EC Type Approval) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999 No. 2920) as amended by The Motorcycles Etc. (EC Type Approval) (Amendment) Regulations 2003. The former mandates the emissions standards in EU directive 97/24/EC to be met by all new machines entering service from 17 June 2003. The 2003 regulations mandate the more stringent two stage standards in EU directive 2002/51/EC for new motorcycles entering service from 1 July 2004 and from 1 January 2007.

Flying (Urban Areas)

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received for changes to be made to the Rules of the Air to limit helicopters and other recreational aircraft from flying over urban areas.

Tony McNulty: I receive letters from time to time, from individual members of the public, requesting for reasons of safety, privacy and nuisance that helicopters and light aircraft should be restricted from flying over urban areas.
	A number of respondents to the consultation in 2000 on "Control of Noise from Civil Aircraft" suggested that the height restrictions specified in Rule 5 (Low Flying) of the Rules of the Air Regulations 1996 should be tightened so as to lessen noise. However, that consultation did not specifically encompass the Rules of the Air regulations, which are primarily safety-related.

Flying (Urban Areas)

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the danger and nuisance of (a) helicopters and (b) other recreational aircraft from flying over urban areas.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today (ref 159319).

Greener Vehicles

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department is working with the Treasury to provide greater purchase incentives for smaller, cleaner vehicles.

David Jamieson: The Government provides a number of incentives to encourage the purchase and use of clean, low carbon vehicles. The Vehicle Excise Duty regime, for example, is structured so that those who choose the cleanest, most fuel efficient vehicles can save themselves up to £110 a year (or up to £165 if they choose a fully electric car). The new company car tax system introduced in April 2002 provides very large incentives to encourage the purchase of clean, fuel-efficient cars. Early evidence suggests that it has already had a significant impact in the company car market. And, under the Government's PowerShift programme, which is administered by the Energy Saving Trust, purchase grants are available to incentivise the market for clean, low carbon vehicles and technologies. Officials in my Department work closely with their colleagues in the Treasury and Inland Revenue on these and other transport taxation issues.

Hybrid Cars

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hybrid petrol/electric cars were sold in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: The following table, based on vehicle registration data, sets out the number of hybrid electric cars sold since 2001—the earliest year for which this data is available.
	
		
			  Number of cars sold 
		
		
			 2001 568 
			 2002 281 
			 2003 373 
		
	
	The Government support the take-up of clean, low carbon vehicles, including hybrid electric vehicles, primarily through purchase grants and fiscal incentives, including the CO2-linked graduated Vehicle Excise Duty and Company Car Tax systems. New hybrid electric models have recently been launched, and manufacturers are predicting total sales in excess of 2,000 vehicles for 2004.

Post Buses

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what Government financial support is available to post buses.

Tony McNulty: Local authorities are able to use the Department's Rural Bus Subsidy Grant to support post bus services. These services may also be eligible to claim Bus Service Operator's Grant from the Department. Post bus projects have been awarded funding under our Rural Bus Challenge competition. I understand that the Countryside Agency has also provided funding to support post buses. In addition of course local authorities may use resources from the Revenue Support Grant for this purpose.

Rail Services (Gloucester)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the viability of a new railway station in Gloucester.

Tony McNulty: The Strategic Rail Authority is looking into the business case for and operational implications of a new parkway station near Gloucester. A report on the work is due to be completed shortly.

Recovery Vehicles

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action the Government have taken to give accredited recovery vehicles (a) higher priority in congested traffic and (b) permission to run on the hard shoulder as set out at paragraph 3.143, of the White Paper, "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone".

David Jamieson: holding answer 5 March 2004
	Following discussion between the emergency services, officials from the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency and representatives of vehicle rescue and recovery operators, in November 2003 the Association of Chief Police Officers produced agreed guidance on use of the hard shoulder. The guidance makes clear that general use of the hard shoulder by recovery vehicles would not be appropriate where traffic is free flowing or where congestion has been caused by an unplanned incident. Where the latter has occurred, priority must be given to the emergency services. However, it identified certain circumstances where recovery services could be permitted to use the hard shoulder, for example where drivers or passengers of broken down vehicles are considered to be at risk and traffic is stationary or very slow moving for an extended period. Authority for such use is granted on a case by case basis by the police.

Road Accidents

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries there have been in road accidents in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London borough in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Killed and seriously injured road casualties by London borough: 1998–2002 -- Casualties
		
			  1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Barking  
			 Killed 3 7 6 3 9 
			 Seriously injured 126 99 107 108 92 
			   
			 Barnet  
			 Killed 10 16 8 13 14 
			 Seriously injured 268 247 249 234 249 
			   
			 Bexley  
			 Killed 7 7 5 8 8 
			 Seriously injured 136 145 130 127 114 
			   
			 Brent  
			 Killed 12 11 14 10 5 
			 Seriously injured 229 216 200 176 176 
			   
			 Bromley  
			 Killed 10 14 10 9 9 
			 Seriously injured 239 216 178 187 215 
			 Camden  
			 Killed 5 10 8 9 8 
			 Seriously injured 230 198 241 216 223 
			   
			 City of London  
			 Killed 5 1 4 2 3 
			 Seriously injured 63 61 42 53 48 
			   
			 Croydon  
			 Killed 8 7 15 8 13 
			 Seriously injured 254 250 240 256 224 
			   
			 Ealing  
			 Killed 8 17 8 16 18 
			 Seriously injured 235 226 192 201 180 
			   
			 Enfield  
			 Killed 9 8 15 15 9 
			 Seriously injured 261 219 232 222 200 
			   
			 Greenwich  
			 Killed 10 4 4 13 11 
			 Seriously injured 199 192 182 192 173 
			   
			 Hackney  
			 Killed 10 4 9 8 10 
			 Seriously injured 181 192 179 236 162 
			   
			 Hammersmith  
			 Killed 6 6 4 6 4 
			 Seriously injured 156 152 141 141 118 
			   
			 Haringey  
			 Killed 2 2 7 13 12 
			 Seriously injured 178 148 202 181 168 
			   
			 Harrow  
			 Killed 6 8 10 5 4 
			 Seriously injured 106 98 109 100 83 
			   
			 Havering  
			 Killed 4 14 10 13 7 
			 Seriously injured 227 144 144 152 168 
			   
			 Hillingdon  
			 Killed 5 15 10 6 7 
			 Seriously injured 247 196 187 197 180 
			   
			 Hounslow  
			 Killed 9 8 7 12 12 
			 Seriously injured 228 174 178 179 191 
			   
			 Islington  
			 Killed 7 9 10 8 8 
			 Seriously injured 219 180 207 218 167 
			   
			 Kensington and Chelsea  
			 Killed 8 6 5 7 7 
			 Seriously injured 177 154 181 145 141 
			   
			 Kingston-upon-Thames  
			 Killed 6 3 4 4 4 
			 Seriously injured 115 79 71 90 88 
			   
			 Lambeth  
			 Killed 14 3 11 16 10 
			 Seriously injured 295 274 263 245 267 
			   
			 Lewisham  
			 Killed 8 6 7 14 9 
			 Seriously injured 217 215 209 207 202 
			   
			 Merton  
			 Killed 4 5 5 5 5 
			 Seriously injured 126 102 95 104 103 
			 Newham  
			 Killed 2 6 3 8 6 
			 Seriously injured 198 137 153 142 123 
			   
			 Redbridge  
			 Killed 5 8 14 10 11 
			 Seriously injured 193 170 162 172 152 
			   
			 Richmond-upon-Thames  
			 Killed 4 4 2 2 7 
			 Seriously injured 130 111 102 82 102 
			   
			 Southwark  
			 Killed 9 7 10 14 8 
			 Seriously injured 235 200 237 234 214 
			   
			 Sutton  
			 Killed 3 8 7 5 6 
			 Seriously injured 132 99 120 107 92 
			   
			 Tower Hamlets  
			 Killed 6 14 15 5 10 
			 Seriously injured 196 126 150 154 141 
			   
			 Waltham Forest  
			 Killed 7 5 11 12 6 
			 Seriously injured 198 152 185 180 144 
			   
			 Wandsworth  
			 Killed 6 9 9 6 6 
			 Seriously injured 230 178 178 203 168 
			   
			 Westminster  
			 Killed 8 12 19 15 15 
			 Seriously injured 420 347 374 360 322 
			   
			 Greater London  
			 Killed 226 264 286 300 281 
			 Seriously injured 6,644 5,697 5,820 5,801 5,390

Road Safety

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents took place in 2003 where interference by children distracting bus drivers was a contributory factor to the accidents.

David Jamieson: This information is not available.

Road Safety

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities use pre-wetted salt when road salting, broken down by Highways Agency area.

David Jamieson: This information is not collated centrally. Local authorities decide upon their de-icing techniques and the materials they will use in the light of local climatic conditions and the nature of their highway network.

Shipping

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) UK and (b) foreign ships failed port side inspections in the UK in each of the last five years; and how many people have been employed to undertake port side inspections in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: The number of ships which failed port side inspections in each of the last 5 years was as follows.
	(a) UK inspections of UK and other Red Ensign Group flagged ships:
	
		
			  Number of ships Detained 
		
		
			 1998–99 12 
			 1999–2000 13 
			 2000–01 4 
			 2001–02 11 
			 2002–03 4 
		
	
	(b) Port state control inspections of foreign ships:
	
		
			  Number of ships Detained 
		
		
			 1998–99 155 
			 1999–2000 106 
			 2000–01 116 
			 2001–02 118 
			 2002–03 132 
		
	
	Specific information about those employed for ship inspection work was collected from 1999. Since then the number of people employed to undertake port side inspections each year was as follows:
	
		
			  Staff compliment 
		
		
			 1999–2000 94 
			 2000–01 94 
			 2001–02 101 
			 2002–03 102

Shipping

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to protect UK merchant ships from piracy and armed attacks.

David Jamieson: My Department has taken the following actions in recent years to counter piracy, and to raise awareness among the international community.
	Ensured that the topic is covered in the bi-annual meetings of the UK National Maritime Security Committee. This provides a forum for senior staff in the UK maritime industry and trade associations to consider action to tackle the problem.
	Participated in several IMO regional Missions and Seminars, presenting UK government actions and chairing working groups and syndicates. These seminars have played an important role in raising awareness of the incidence and impact of piracy and armed robbery at sea. Often the work is to make the regions where the "pirates" are based accept that there is a problem.
	Jointly, with the FCO, provided the UK financial support for the IMO programme of Missions and Seminars, including funding the participation of two Metropolitan police officers with expertise in investigating acts of piracy.
	Jointly, with the Metropolitan police, prepared an IMO draft Code of Practice on the investigation of acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea. DfT Chaired the IMO Correspondence and Drafting Groups and the Code has now been issued as an IMO circular (MSC Circular 984) and this was adopted at the MO General Assembly in November 2001.
	DfT has also produced an IMO draft paper on the problem of "Phantom" (stolen) ships and this has also been issued as an IMO Circular and adopted at the IMO General Assembly.
	Produced and ensured the widespread availability of the Marine Guidance Note (MGN 241) advising UK ship operators and seafarers on steps to protect against attack by pirates/armed robbers at sea. This advice was issued in November 2002.
	Taken the lead in promoting the inclusion of piracy in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) annual resolution on the oceans.
	Raised the topic in bilateral meetings with officials and ministers from overseas countries.

Speed Cameras

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of fees from speed cameras in Essex was reinvested in road safety measures in each of the last five years.

David Jamieson: Essex has been participating in the safety camera cost recovery scheme since April 2000. Receipts from safety camera fines resulting in areas participating in the scheme may be applied solely to the installation and operation of approved safety camera installations. I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 February 2004, Official Report, column 53W, to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Baron) for details of the receipts received by the Essex Safety Camera Partnership. Other investment in road safety measures is funded within local authorities1 and national road programmes. Before the setting up of the safety camera cost recovery scheme in April 2000, fine revenue from camera activity in Essex accrued in whole to the Consolidated Fund.

Speed Cameras

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 24 February 2004, Official Report, column 343W, if he will list the partners in each partnership.

David Jamieson: The partners comprise the relevant police authorities, highway authorities and magistrates courts committees, and for some partnerships local health authorities also.

Temporary Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Transport was formed on 29 May 2002. Due to Machinery of Government changes information on temporary staff working in DfT(C) is only available from December 2002. At any one time the Department employs approximately 47 temps through employment agencies which represents approximately 2 per cent. of the total staff employed. For the period December 2002 to March 2003 the total cost paid to employment agencies was £277,855 and £793,542 for the period April 2003 to January 2004.

Track Maintenance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate whether Network Rail's planned activities in respect of clearing trackside vegetation in the Westerleigh area are (a) consistent with Network Rail's environmental policy and (b) no more than is required for safety purposes.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 5 March 2004
	This is an operational matter for Network Rail. I have passed this question to Network Rail, for them to respond directly to the hon. Member.

Vehicle Excise Duty

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many car owners failed to pay for car tax discs in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: Vehicle excise duty evasion is measured by roadside surveys. The last two were carried out in 1999 and 2002. The best estimate of total unlicensed stock in GB in 1999 was 1.52 million vehicles and in 2002 1.76 million vehicles.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Combined Heat and Power

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the capacity of the combined heat and power unit run by her Department is:
	(2)  when she last conducted an environmental audit on the combined heat and power unit run by her Department;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of (a) the sustainability, (b) the effectiveness and (c) the efficiency of her Department's combined heat and power unit;
	(4)  what the latest figure for cost per unit of operating the Department's combined heat and power plant is;
	(5)  what estimate she has made of damage to (a) information technology equipment and (b) stationery within her Department caused by the Department's combined heat and power unit;
	(6)  when she will reply to the questions on her Department's combined heat and power unit of 5 February from the hon. Member for Vale of York, reference 154208, 154209, 154210, 154211 and 154212.

Alun Michael: Defra currently operates one combined heat and power system on its estate. This is at its Weybridge site occupied by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency.
	The capacity of the system is 1 megawatt, it was installed in 2000 and to date no environmental audit has been conducted on it. While no assessment has yet been made on its sustainability it is proving effective being very reliable and producing electrical power for the site at a cost per unit of 0.709p per kwh. A study is currently underway to review its efficiency.
	Since the plant has been in use no damage has been caused to information technology equipment nor stationery.

Common Agricultural Policy

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total Government expenditure on agriculture was in each of the last five years; and what proportion of each total required payments under the Common Agricultural Policy.

Alun Michael: Total public expenditure on agriculture and EU receipts under the CAP over the past five years are provided in the table. The increase in expenditure in 2001–02 was due to the foot and mouth crisis.
	
		
			  Total public expenditure on agriculture EU receipts under the CAP EU receipts under the CAP as a proportion of total public expenditure on agriculture 
			 Financial year £ million £ million Percentage 
		
		
			 1 April 1998 to-31 March 1999 3,482 2,941.7 84.5 
			 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 3,161 2,674.4 84.6 
			 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 3,042 2,534.8 83.3 
			 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 4,663.9 2,320.3 49.75 
			 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 3,119.2 2,619.2 84 
		
	
	Source
	The total public expenditure figures provided in the table have been taken from the relevant Agriculture in the United Kingdom publications and the EU receipts from the relevant Annual Report and Accounts of the Intervention Board and Rural Payments Agency (founded October 2001).

Illegal Animal Products

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the pilot project using detector dogs to find illegal animal products will be concluded.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 4 March 2004
	The pilot using detector dogs began in September 2002 and ran for six months to end March 2003.
	The dogs were found to be effective and were taken on permanently by HM Customs and Excise when they took over enforcement responsibility of anti-smuggling measures in relation to illegal imports of products of animal origin on 11 April 2003.

Milk

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the farm-gate value of cows' milk produced by the dairy herd in England was in the last year for which figures are available.

Alun Michael: Defra collects farm-gate price information for England and Wales. As the figures are based on data supplied by the purchasers of raw milk, as opposed to the producers, we are unable to provide a regional breakdown of price or differentiate milk produced on farms located in England and Wales.
	We have estimated the farm gate value of cow's milk by the dairy herd in England and Wales for 2003 to be £2,034 million.

Farming

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent to which problems English farmers face affect farmers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differently.

Alun Michael: The following table illustrates variations in Net Farm Income between the four UK countries. It highlights a welcome overall recent upward trend in Net Farm Incomes in each of the four countries. One of the most important drivers of UK farm incomes has been and will continue to be the exchange rate which has had a positive impact on all countries within the UK in recent years.
	
		Net farm income by country and type of farm -- Average net farm income per farm (£000 per farm)
		
			  Accounting years ending on average in February 
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–021 2002–031 2003–042 
		
		
			  
			  
			 At current prices  
			 England  
			 Dairy 9.4 14.0 30.7 18.3 20.5 
			 Cattle and sheep (less favoured areas) 5.3 5.8 7.9 18.0 19.0 
			 Cattle and sheep (lowland) 0.5 -0.4 — 5.8 4.5 
			 Cereals 11.7 6.2 4.1 12.1 32.0 
			 General cropping 8.0 18.4 17.9 14.5 43.5 
			 Pigs and poultry -4.4 32.6 21.5 49.5 57.5 
			 Mixed 5.5 7.5 5.4 13.3 19.5 
			 Wales  
			 Dairy 14.2 12.3 29.6 18.6 18.5 
			 Cattle and sheep (less favoured areas) 3.1 3.7 1.7 12.5 17.0 
			 Cattle and sheep (lowland) 0.6 0.7 2.2 9.1 8.5 
			 Scotland  
			 Dairy 1.9 13.6 33.1 5.1 9.0 
			 Cattle and sheep (less favoured areas) 2.7 5.6 5.8 13.3 16.5 
			 Cereals 10.6 0.7 -0.6 -1.6 17.5 
			 General cropping 3.6 8.4 8.0 -1.9 19.0 
			 Mixed 3.6 5.9 12.6 9.5 24.0 
			 Northern Ireland  
			 Dairy 7.0 14.6 17.5 6.5 13.0 
			 Cattle and sheep (less favoured areas) -1.6 0.7 4.0 4.6 6.0 
			 United Kingdom  
			 Dairy 9.0 13.9 27.9 14.9 17.5 
			 Cattle and sheep (less favoured areas) 2.2 3.9 4.5 12.0 14.5 
			 Cattle and sheep (lowland) 0.1 -0.1 0.8 5.8 5.5 
			 Cereals 11.5 5.4 3.3 10.0 30.0 
			 General cropping 6.7 16.3 15.7 10.9 38.0 
			 Pigs and poultry -3.9 29.1 19.4 44.9 52.0 
			 Mixed 4.4 6.8 6.3 11.7 19.0 
			 All Types (excluding horticulture) 5.7 7.8 11.0 12.2 20.5 
			 In real terms (at 2002–03 prices)  
			 United Kingdom  
			 Dairy 9.7 14.4 28.4 14.9 17.0 
			 Cattle and sheep (less favoured areas) 2.4 4.1 4.6 12.0 14.5 
			 Cattle and sheep (lowland) 0.1 -0.1 0.8 5.8 5.0 
			 Cereals 12.3 5.6 3.4 10.0 29.0 
			 General cropping 7.1 16.8 16.0 10.9 37.0 
			 Pigs and poultry -4.1 30.1 19.7 44.9 50.5 
			 Mixed 4.7 7.1 6.5 11.7 18.5 
			 All types (excluding horticulture) 6.1 8.0 11.2 12.2 20.0 
		
	
	(1) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory foot-and-mouth disease cull.
	(2) Provisional.
	Further information on the situation of agriculture in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be found in the following publications.
	Defra, on behalf of the UK Agricultural Departments, publishes the annual report "Agriculture in the United Kingdom" (AUK). This describes agricultural and environmental developments during the previous year, reporting on each of the main agricultural commodities and containing information on agricultural incomes. Details on the circumstances of Agriculture in the four UK countries are given in tables 2.3 and 2.4 of AUK. Copies of AUK are placed in the House Library and more information can be found on the Defra website at: http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/publications/auk/default.asp
	In addition to this, a more detailed breakdown of information on agriculture in each of the UK countries is provided in the following specialist publications:
	England: Farm Accounts in Englandhttp://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/publications/fab/default.asp
	Wales: Aggregate Agricultural Output and Income 2002
	http://www.wales.gov.uk/kevpubstatisticsforwalesheadline/content/agriculture/2003/hdw20030227-e.htm
	Northern Ireland: Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2002http://www.dardni.gov.uk/econs/spub0018.htm
	Scotland: Scottish Agriculture—Output, Input and Income Statisticshttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/agri/oiis02.pdf

Fisheries

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) other EU member states regarding proposals to reduce cetacean by-catch in the past year.

Ben Bradshaw: The importance of reducing dolphin and other small cetacean by-catch has been raised by the UK at ministerial level with the Fisheries Commissioner on a number of occasions and bilaterally with France. In particular, the UK has pressed in February 2003 for the introduction of a observer programme across the EU to broaden the information available about which fisheries, and which vessels, are involved in the dolphin by-catch problem.
	Following this, the Commission published, on 24 July 2003, a draft Council regulation concerning the incidental by-catch of cetaceans in fisheries. Discussions on this proposal are currently taking place at official level and will come to a future Council of Minister's meeting for adoption.

Fisheries

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to place observers on UK fishing vessels to examine the causes of the cetacean by-catch.

Ben Bradshaw: As part of Defra-funded research, the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) has in recent years placed observers on UK vessels in a number of fisheries to monitor small cetacean by-catch.
	As part of a new five year Defra-funded contract which started in 2003, SMRU has continued to place observers on UK vessels in the offshore bass fishery and plans to monitor other pelagic trawl fisheries and selected gillnet fisheries. This work is intended to provide improved estimates of annual by-catch levels of harbour porpoise and common dolphins, and to improve our understanding of how, where and why such events occur.

Market and Coastal Towns Initiative

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her latest estimate is of the costs of the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative in each year from 2000–01 to 2005–06 (planned); and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The Rural White Paper stated that £37 million over three years (2001–04) would be made available to fund regeneration in market towns. This funding has been delivered through
	(a) the Regional Development Agencies (£32 million) and matched with funding from partners; and
	(b) the Countryside Agency (£5 million) for work on Health Checks for individual Towns, the Beacon Towns Network, and the Best Practice Programme.
	When the announcement of the funding was made, it was envisaged that 100 towns would benefit from this funding. I am pleased to report that, through the innovative methods used in each of the regions, currently 227 towns are receiving support.
	Future funding is being reviewed as part of the Modernising Rural Delivery process. At the same time Defra is working with the Countryside Agency to assess the outcomes from the initiative, with a report due in June, and are in discussion with the Regional Development Agencies on evaluation of the initiative in the regions.

Rights of Way

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations with groups representing people with disabilities she had before issuing her consultation document, Use of Mechanically Propelled Vehicles on Rights of Way.

Alun Michael: Last December I met a number of groups representing people with disabilities, under the banner Countryside For All, to discuss rights of way issues. We will look carefully at the responses from such groups to our consultation document.

Rights of Way

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent responses from groups representing people with disabilities she has had on her consultation document, Use of Mechanically Propelled Vehicles on Rights of Way.

Alun Michael: By 4 March we had had responses from the Kent branch of the National Federation of the Blind; the Access Group for Kent and Canterbury; and County Mobility in Cheshire.

Rights of Way

David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for section 34(a) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Alun Michael: I made a written Ministerial statement to the House on 9 December 2003, Official Report, column 81WS. The Government will not be implementing section 34A of the Road Traffic Act 1988. New proposals have been put forward in the Government consultation paper, "Use of mechanically propelled vehicles on Rights of Way".

Rights of Way

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she issued the Departmental Circular on Traffic Regulation Orders described in Proposal 1 of her consultation on the use of mechanically propelled vehicles on rights of way.

Alun Michael: We will issue the Departmental Circular shortly. The Circular will explain the range of powers available to regulate the use of mechanically propelled vehicles, including the power to make traffic regulation orders.

Varroa Mites

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in developing an effective treatment against highly resistant varroa mites.

Ben Bradshaw: Recent experience both on the European Continent and in North America has shown that there is a spread of resistance to most medicament treatments applied to control the varroa mite. Misuse of proprietary products or use of illegal treatments has been found to be the cause of resistance in most cases.
	In the UK, resistance to the two pyrethroid-based varroacides, Apistan and Bayvarol, was first detected in Devon in 2001. Resistance was detected early through the monitoring programme conducted by the Central Science Laboratory's (CSL) National Bee Unit. This enabled action to be taken prior to the widespread colony collapse which has been experienced in other countries. Continued monitoring by beekeepers and CSL demonstrates that resistance is still localised. In many parts of the UK pyrethroids retain their high efficacy.
	The introduction to the UK market in 2003 of Apiguard, a non-pyrethroid-based treatment for varroa, now means that beekeepers are able to apply this product to their colonies, ideally as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to combating pyrethroid-resistant mites.
	Measures funded by Defra to protect bee health include training and technical advice to beekeepers in order to help them become more self-reliant through improved bee husbandry, in particular dealing with varroa. Defra is also currently funding research investigating the use of entomopathogenic fungi as possible microbial control agents of varroa.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Commission for Africa

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the members of the Commission for Africa were chosen.

Hilary Benn: The members of the Commission for Africa have been personally invited to participate by the Prime Minister.

Commission for Africa

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Commission for Africa will take evidence in Africa.

Hilary Benn: Yes. The Commission will be seeking evidence from African institutions, civil society and citizens including through seminars, participation in debates and commentary on work in progress. Commissioners such as Prime Minister Meles of Ethiopia, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel of South Africa and K.Y. Amoako (Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission on Africa) will also bring African perspectives to the debate.

HIV/AIDS

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what representations his Department has received from (a) the UN, (b) the EU and (c) NGO sources on channelling more aid money towards fighting malaria in sub-Saharan Africa on the basis that HIV/AIDS rates in sub-Saharan Africa were stabilising;
	(2)  what representations his Department has received from (a) the UN, (b) the EU and (c) NGO sources that HIV/AIDS rates are stabilising in Africa.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID has received no representations to channel more aid assistance towards fighting malaria on the basis that HIV/AIDS rates are stabilising in Africa, or, any specific representations about trends in HIV/AIDS rates. The global UNAIDS epidemic update of December 2003 (available at www.unaids.org) records that among some populations in sub-Saharan Africa, for example in Zambia, and groups, for example, pregnant women, HIV rates are stabilising. However, UNAID's overall conclusions are that we are not witnessing a decline in sub-Saharan Africa's epidemic. Even if prevalence rates stabilise it may not mean that infection rates have dropped. Rather, it may mean that a persistently high number of new infections is offset by an increasing number of deaths. In such cases it will still be necessary to fully support prevention programmes, while scaling up provision for treatment and care. In terms of African countries where the UK's support is predominantly through budget support, decisions on the balance of investment between different public health priorities are for country governments to make.
	DFID has contributed £48 million over the period September 1999 to March 2004 to Roll Back Malaria who operate globally but with priority given to sub-Saharan Africa where the burden is highest. We have committed $280 million over eight years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Malaria

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with countries affected by malaria on the economic impact on (a) public services and (b) the stability of their societies.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Malaria is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in many poor countries, limiting social and economic development. The UK, as part of an international effort, is committed to reducing the impact of malaria. We support the Roll Back Malaria partnership, and look to it to inform us on the impact of malaria in developing countries.
	DFID is in regular contact with health officials in developing countries and provides assistance through its support to developing country programmes. As part of the international effort, we are working to ensure that the Roll Back Malaria partnership lends its support to nationally led programmes, processes and strategies, and provides sound evidence-based support for the effective use of additional resources from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Malaria

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the (a) economic and (b) social impact of malaria on developing countries.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Malaria is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in many developing countries, limiting economic and social development. It is understood to be both a disease of poverty and a cause of poverty. Annual economic growth in countries with high malaria transmission is lower than in countries without malaria and in some African countries it penalises economic growth by up to 1.3 per cent. per year. This leads to substantial differences in GDP between countries and severely restrains the economic growth of the entire region.
	The social impact of malaria includes the loss of earnings, human pain and suffering. It hampers children's social development and educational opportunities. The disease affects individual and household decision-making in ways that have a negative impact on economic productivity and growth.
	As part of an international effort, the UK is committed to reducing the impact of malaria. We provide support through global partnerships such as Roll Back Malaria and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria as well as supporting country programmes (projects, support to health sectors and general budget support).

Ministerial Speeches

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many speeches he made between 9 June 2003 and 1 February 2004; and where a copy of each speech can be obtained.

Hilary Benn: I have made a number of speeches on a wide range of domestic and international issues. Copies of speeches, where available, can be found on the Departmental website at www.dfid.gov.uk

Nepal

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department gave to Nepal in each year since 2000; how much aid it plans to give in 2004; and if he will break down the total in each case by category.[R]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: UK bilateral aid to Nepal since 2000 is as follows:
	
		£000
		
			 Financial year Technicalco-operation Project orsector aid Grants/other aidin kind Humanitarian assistance Total DFID programme 
		
		
			 1999–2000 11,119 2,092 1,636 — 14,847 
			 2000–01 13,686 2,742 1,267 — 17,695 
			 2001–02 18,750 1,805 659 2,201 23,414 
			 2002–03 24,599 2,038 1,156 94 27,887 
		
	
	In the financial years (FY) 2003–04, DFID is on track to spend approximately £30 million in Nepal, and the aid framework for FY 2004–05 is set to increase to £35 million.

Nepal

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-governmental organisations based in the UK are financially supported by his Department to work in Nepal.[R]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: We are supporting three projects in Nepal under our Civil Society Challenge Fund. These are:
	
		
			 Agency Project Budget 2004–05 
		
		
			 Handicap International Handicap in Development 85,000 
			 Minority Rights Group Promoting rights 28,218 
			 Nepal Leprosy Trust Problems of Stigma 84,000 
		
	
	In addition we are also providing £56.26 million in strategic support to 15 major UK based non-governmental organisations in the form of Partnership Programme Agreements. A number of these organisations currently support activities in Nepal, including VSO who have 29 volunteers working in the Nepalese education sector.

Recruitment

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost of recruitment of civil servants for the Department was in each financial year since 1996–97, broken down by (a) delegated or contracted out recruitment procedures and (b) recruitment procedures carried out by the Department.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID currently undertakes all its recruitment in-house, and does not therefore delegate or contract out any of its recruitment procedures.
	No figures are available for the cost of recruitment of civil servants for DFID for the financial years since 1996–97. To obtain this information would incur a disproportionate cost to DFID.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Anti-terrorism Legislation

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under United Kingdom anti-terrorism legislation since 11 September 2001; how many are in detention; how many of the total number detained have been charged; and how many are Muslims in each case.

David Blunkett: 16 people have been certified and detained under Part 4 of the Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security (ATCS) Act, of whom 14 remain in detention. Anonymised details are provided at the Home Office website at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/atcsa detainees.html
	Under the Terrorism Act, Section 41 relates to the power of a constable to arrest, and detain for up to 14 days, without warrant a person whom he reasonably suspects to be a terrorist. A full 14 day detention is subject to judicial approval at various stages of the detention. From 11 September 2001 to 31 January 2004, 544 individuals were arrested and subsequently detained under this power.
	In addition, six people have been convicted and detained for offences under that act. Of these, four have now left detention.
	Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 allows an examining officer at a port or border control post to detain a person for up to nine hours (starting from the time at which the examination begins) in order to determine whether the person has been involved in the commissioning, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. To date, 47 people have been detained under this power.
	Details of convictions under the Terrorism Act 2000 are provided on the Home Office website at: www. homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/tatc arrest stats.html
	I do not believe that the religion of an individual is relevant to whether or not they may be involved in terrorism and this information is not collated centrally.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the introduction of identity cards will protect people from identity fraud and theft.

Beverley Hughes: The incorporation of advanced biometric information into identity documents and the development of an electronic national identity register were announced by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in his statement on a national identity cards scheme on 11 November. These measures would provide a unique link between the identity card and the person to whom it was issued. They would also protect people from identity fraud and theft by:
	(a) helping to ensure that fraudsters could not set up multiple identities;
	(b) providing United Kingdom residents with an easy and secure way of proving their identity;
	(c) allowing Government Departments who provide a public service and authorised private sector organisations to identify with whom they are dealing.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what personal information will be contained on the National Identity Register; and what legal and procedural safeguards will limit access to an identity cardholder's record on the National Identity Register;
	(2)  who will have access to the information stored on the national identity card database.

Beverley Hughes: Data held on the National Identity Register will be basic identity information—such as name, address, date of birth, immigration status and a confirmed biometric—and this will be set out in statute.
	The legislation will allow the cards scheme to be used by any authorised service—public or private—to establish identity with the consent of the card-holder, but with strict limits on the information available.
	While police and other organisations will not have routine access to data stored on the National Identity Register, there will, in statute, be specified circumstances for disclosure from the National Identity Register, for example, in cases of serious crime. This will be subject to independent oversight as at the present time.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how, under the current proposals, individuals will gain access to services where an identity card is required if their card is lost or stolen.

Beverley Hughes: An identity card, although very helpful to public services as a reliable means of proving identity, would not become mandatory until a specific further parliamentary decision on a move to compulsion. Where the identity card is used to access public services we will want to ensure that procedures are in place to help those whose card has been lost or stolen, especially in cases of emergency. We will be giving detailed consideration to how this will be achieved.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how his Department measures the amount of public support for the identity card proposal;
	(2)  what the reasons were for discarding 5,000 responses to the Entitlement Card consultation.

Beverley Hughes: During July 2002 and January 2003 the Home Office carried out extensive research into public attitudes to the proposals for what were then known as entitlement cards. The results of this research were published as "Identity Cards: A Summary of Findings from the Consultation Exercise on Entitlement Cards and Identity Fraud" (Cm 6019 of November 2003).
	The Government did not discard 5,000 responses. The publication included a section on page 63 breaking down the 5,031 replies received via the website of a privacy organisation and explaining how these replies had been received.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on whether an identity card scheme should be under the control of a new independent statutory body.

Beverley Hughes: The Government will address this in the draft legislation announced in the Queen's Speech and will consider the comments which will be received on the draft Bill.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has conducted of the (a) costs and (b) consequences of a major breach of the national identity card database.

Beverley Hughes: The security and integrity of the database are integral to maintaining trust in the identity cards scheme. Home Office officials are already working with security experts to ensure that security issues are considered from the start of the database design, and with other Government Departments which have similar databases with similar security needs, such as the United Kingdom Passport Service.
	The specifications and design of the database and its security features will take into account security advice from the earliest stages. The design process will include threat and vulnerability assessments. Threats which will be assessed will include unauthorised internal and external access to data. These threat and vulnerability assessments will examine the risks and consequences of attacks on the databases and weigh up the costs and benefits of various defence strategies.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how identity cards will enable the identification of illegal immigrants in the UK if it will not be compulsory to carry the card.

Beverley Hughes: The National Identity Register will link each individual's record to a biometric that is unique to that person. This means that even without a card being produced, it will be possible to check someone's biometric information directly with the National Identity Register to establish his or her identity. This could be done with the person's consent or without consent in certain limited circumstances such as establishing the identity of persons who have been arrested for deceiving an immigration officer as to their real identity.

Identity Cards

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many identity cards for young people purchasing alcohol and tobacco are in circulation; and what plans he has to change these arrangements.

Beverley Hughes: There is no national proof of age card and therefore no figures are held centrally for the number of cards issued by the various existing card schemes.
	The Government's plans for a national identity cards scheme would provide a nationally accepted, useful and secure way of proving and determining age when young people wish to purchase age restricted products such as alcohol. However, this is some way in the future—the introduction of plain identity cards on a phased basis would, on current plans, begin during 2007–08.
	In the shorter term, the Government have a strong interest in initiatives like the British Retail Consortium's Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) which establishes a common standard for issuing the various proof of age cards that are available. This should go some way towards assisting retailers in recognising and accepting reputable cards when requesting proof of ID and for young people to prove their age.

Security Passes

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in departmental agencies in the last 12 months.

Fiona Mactaggart: The total number of security passes reported lost or stolen by departmental agencies for the year ending 31 December 2003 was 227: 215 lost and 12 stolen.
	Passes issued by the agencies do not afford the holder access to central London Home Office buildings and Ministers.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Servants (Pay)

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what pay award was awarded to civil servants in Great Britain on 1 April 2003.

Douglas Alexander: Pay outside of the Senior Civil Service is delegated to individual Departments and agencies. Information on individual pay awards is not held centrally.
	The pay ranges for Senior Civil Servants were increased by 2.25 per cent. Individual Senior Civil Servants received performance related pay awards of between 0 and 9 per cent. depending on their personal contribution.

Contingency Planning

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what part virtual reality equipment plays in enabling Sir David Omand to provide central co-ordination for contingency planning and the resilience capability programme.

Douglas Alexander: Computer-based scenario work is used extensively in developing the UK's civil contingency doctrine and planning, including the resilience capability programme.
	In addition, the Emergency Planning College at Easingwold is studying the feasibility of adapting military synthetic environment technologies for the training of joint, multi-agency emergency management teams fundamental to the UK's resilience under a collaborative arrangement with the Defence Procurement Agency's Training and Simulation Integrated Project Team.

Contingency Planning

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what arrangements are in place for those involved in contingency planning to receive appropriate professional and career development.

Douglas Alexander: The Emergency Planning College at Easingwold is the primary provider of training and professional development for emergency planning staff employed in the public sector, including local government and the emergency and health services. The latter groups account for some 80 per cent. of the college's annual training throughput of 6,500. The college currently delivers a range of generic courses reflecting the diverse requirements of its customers.
	Major changes in the training regime have been under development since last summer. These will take effect in September 2004, when the college will introduce a new programme based on a spine of core courses and a range of optional modules tailored to meet specific needs. This architecture reflects best practice and will provide the foundation for subsequent professional and academic accreditation of the college's courses across the span from NVQ to postgraduate.

Asset Sales

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assets were sold by his Department in each year since 1997 to date; what the value of each item was; and if he will estimate the value of asset sales planned for 2003–04 and 2004–05.

Douglas Alexander: Assets that are routinely disposed of include plant and machinery, which in the main comprise motor cars, owned by the Government Car and Despatch Agency, and fixtures and fittings, which includes office furniture and IT equipment.
	
		Fixed asset disposals at Net Book Value (NBV) for the Cabinet Office -- £000
		
			 Year ended 31 March Amount 
		
		
			 2000 1,698 
			 2001 1,703 
			 2002 1,608 
			 2003 14,928 
			 2004 (3)4,274 
			 2005 (4)— 
		
	
	(3) Estimate
	(4) Not available
	Details prior to 2000 are not held.

Better Regulation Taskforce

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what account is taken of the promotion of sustainable development in the work of the Better Regulation Taskforce.

Douglas Alexander: The Better Regulation Task Force advises the Government on action to ensure that regulation and its enforcement meet the principles of good regulation. The Task Force's principles are entirely consistent with our commitment to sustainable development and we seek to apply them when implementing policy. For example, the Government has accepted the helpful recommendations made by the Task Force in its report "Environmental Regulation: Getting the Message Across" (July 2003) on ways to improve the implementation of regulations on producer responsibility.

Better Regulation Taskforce

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the most recently enacted legislation is which he proposes to repeal following a report of the Better Regulation Taskforce.

Douglas Alexander: The Government seeks to act on the recommendations of the Better Regulation Task Force wherever possible. Major reforms currently underway, or recently enacted, that follow earlier recommendations made by the Task Force include the reform of planning law, liquor licensing and fire safety.

Business Regulations

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many proposals to impose new regulations on business have been dropped following regulatory impact assessments.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) of 2 February 2004, Official Report, column 715W.

Civil Contingencies Bill

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to table amendments to the Civil Contingencies Bill.

Douglas Alexander: Following a commitment given to the hon. Member for Sheffield Hallam during Committee Stage, the Government will amend the Bill to require a declaration of compatibility with the Human Rights Act to be made when emergency regulations are brought forward.
	The Government will also amend the Bill to make provisions regarding cross-border co-operation, following a commitment given to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland. This follows discussions with the Scottish Executive.
	The Government will keep the need to table further amendments to the Bill under review.

Information and Communication Service

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the expenditure of the Government Information and Communication Service's operations within the Cabinet Office was (a) in the latest year for which figures are available and (b) in 1996–97; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 14 January 2004, Official Report, column 767W.

New Deal for Disabled People

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people have been employed in (a) central Government and (b) the public sector under the New Deal for Disabled People.

Douglas Alexander: 20 people joined the Civil Service under the New Deal for Disabled People in the period 2 July 2002 to 1 October 2003. Data for the most recent quarter ending 1 January 2004 is not yet complete, but at least 12 people have joined under the scheme during that quarter.
	Data on the number of people that have been employed in the public sector (excluding the Civil Service) under the New Deal for Disabled People is not collected centrally.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the expenditure by non-departmental public bodies of the Office was in (a) 1996–97 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available in (i) cash, (ii) real terms and (iii) as a percentage of gross national product.

Douglas Alexander: The expenditure by non-departmental bodies of the Cabinet Office in cash and real terms for 1996–97 and 2002–03, the latest year for which figures are available, is set out in the following table.
	
		Expenditure by non-departmental bodies of the Cabinet Office
		
			 Financial year Cash terms£ million Real terms£ million As percentage of gross national product 
		
		
			 1996–97 1.047 1.212 0.00014 
			 2002–03 2.088 2.088 0.00019

DEFENCE

Defence Housing (Aldershot)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) single living units and (b) married quarters in the Aldershot constituency (i) are unoccupied and (ii) have been unoccupied for three months or more.

Ivor Caplin: As at 26 February, of a total of 1,808 family quarters in the Aldershot constituency, 247 were unoccupied. 113 of the properties had been unoccupied for more than three months. Unoccupied service family housing may be allocated or under offer to incoming families, awaiting modernisation or earmarked for disposal.
	Services single living accommodation (SLA) in the Aldershot constituency comprises 6,643 bed spaces, shared between two sites, Aldershot and Minley. Of these, some 1,064 are currently unoccupied. Some vacancies are unavoidable, since various groups have to be accommodated separately from others, for example, female personnel from male, and successive training troops from each other.
	No figures are available that identify those bed spaces unoccupied for more than three months.

Departmental Buildings

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) land and (b) buildings in central London owned by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) the UK armed forces, giving the value in each case.

Ivor Caplin: The following major properties in central London are used by the Ministry of Defence (including agencies and service personnel).
	
		
			 Building Description Freehold orleasehold  
		
		
			 Horse Guards* Offices Freehold 
			 Northumberland House* Offices Freehold 
			 Old War Office* Offices Freehold 
			 The Citadel* Offices Freehold 
			 Main Building* Offices Freehold 
			 Chelsea Barracks* Barracks Freehold 
			 Wellington Barracks* Barracks Part Leaseholdand part Freehold 
			 Clerkenwell Road Offices Leasehold 
			 ACIO, The Strand Shop with offices Leasehold 
			 Castlewood House Offices Leasehold 
			 Regents Park Barracks* Barracks Leasehold 
			 St. John's Wood Barracks Barracks Leasehold 
			 Metropole Building Offices Leasehold 
			 Great Scotland Yard* Offices Leasehold 
			 St. Giles Court Offices Leasehold 
			 RCDS Seaford House* Offices Leasehold 
			 St. George's Court Offices Leasehold 
			 Ibex House Offices Leasehold 
			 Hyde Park Barracks* Barracks Leasehold 
			 Rochester Row Offices and barracks Leasehold 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Central London has been defined as the area within the Central London congestion charging zone but includes major buildings adjacent to that area.
	2. Married quarters and buildings used solely by visiting forces and reserve forces are excluded.
	3. The National Asset Register, (NAR), published by HM Treasury provides a valuation of those assets denoted by * in the table. A copy of the NAR has been placed in the Library of the House and can be accessed on the HM Treasury website at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk. It should be noted that this is an asset valuation as at 19 July 2001 and does not represent the disposal value of these buildings.

Hydrographic Office

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the net asset value of the hydrographic office; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The estimated net asset value of the United Kingdom hydrographic office at 31 January 2004, as represented by total assets less current liabilities, was £65.2 million.

Inglis Barracks

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable for the services vacating the Inglis Barracks, Mill Hill site is; what steps are (a) being taken and (b) to be taken, concerning the marketing of the site; what plans he has to ensure the preservation of the officers' mess and war memorial as part of future development; what discussions his Department has had with the planning authority concerning the future use of the site; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: The British Forces Post Office presently situated at Inglis Barracks and Frith Lane, Mill Hill is planned to move to RAF Northolt. The relocation of BFPO forms part of a wider consolidation of the MOD estate in London through Project MODEL (Ministry of Defence Estate London). The timetable for the relocation depends on the construction of a new operational facility at RAF Northolt, and the current project programme suggests that construction work will not be finished until the first quarter of 2007 at the earliest.
	Following completion of the new facility, at RAF Northolt, there would then be a period of approximately six months to transfer operations to RAF Northolt and to decommission the Mill Hill site in readiness for disposal. These dates are subject to the MOD's usual project approval process.
	Preliminary discussions have already taken place with the Local Planning Authority and others, such as English Partnership on the future re-use of the site with a view to developing over the next 12 months a development framework document for the Inglis Barracks site and the surrounding area. The negotiations will address the future of both the officers' mess and war memorial.
	Additionally, the issue of military heritage is being considered at length and all interested parties will be involved in discussions to ensure that these aspects are treated in an appropriate manner.
	Once the outcome of the work we have in hand is known, we will decide how best to take forward the marketing of the site.

Iraq

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many accidental killings of civilians in Iraq have been reported by British forces since the end of combat operations, in addition to the 17 cases now under investigation; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 January 2004
	None. As well as the cases under investigation UK forces have reported 19 Iraqi civilian fatalities. All involved assailants attacking British forces and in defending themselves the soldiers involved were acting clearly within their Rules of Engagement.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the six Iraqis who have died in British custody in Iraq giving the (a) approximate time, (b) date and (c) place of their deaths; and which regiments were responsible for their detention at the time of their deaths.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen) on 19 January 2004, Official Report, column 918W.
	We do not release details of units who are involved in any incident that has been the subject of an SIB investigation, unless the case is referred for court martial.
	All deaths occurred within the United Kingdom area of operations in Iraq.

Personnel Budgets (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much of its total personnel budget the (a) Army Personnel Centre, (b) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (c) Defence Dental Agency, (d) Defence Bills Agency and (e) Armed Forces Personnel and Administration Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003–04 to December 2004, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much of its total personnel budget the (a) Defence Analytical Services Agency, (b) Defence Housing Executive, (c) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, (d) Defence Estates, (e) Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency and (f) Naval Manning Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003–04 to December 2004, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how much of its total personnel budget (a) Service Children's Education, (b) the Duke of York's Royal Military School, (c) the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency, (d) the RAF Personnel Manning Agency, (e) the RAF Training Group Defence Agency and (f) the Warship Support Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003–04 to December 2004, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how much of its total personnel budget the (a) Defence Procurement Agency, (b) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (c) Medical Supplies Agency, (d) Defence Communications Services Agency, (e) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency and (f) Veterans Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003–04 to December 2004, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  how much of its total personnel budget the (a) British Forces Post Office, (b) Defence Vetting Agency, (c) Defence Medical Education, and Training Agency, (d) Disposal Services Agency, (e) Pay and Personnel Agency, (f) Defence Aviation Repair Agency and (g) Meteorological Office spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003–04 to December 2003, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of total; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  how much of its total personnel budget the (a) United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, (b) Defence Export Services Organisation, (c) Defence Medical Services, (d) Army Base Repair Organisation (e) Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and (f) Defence Secondary Care Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003–04 to December 2003, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of total; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: Regional spending figures for personnel costs are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Service Personnel (Demobilisation)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what resources his Department has allocated to replace the EU Konver programme, to help servicemen and women in moving from the armed forces to civilian occupation.

Ivor Caplin: The two Konver programmes which ran from 1993–94 and from 1995–99 were aimed at areas affected by the running down of defence-related industries and military installations, and the measures funded included training for new jobs, support for other businesses, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, and the conversion and re-use of ex-military land.
	The Ministry of Defence's resettlement programme which supports Service leavers moving from the armed forces to civilian life predated the Konver programme and was not affected by the closure of Konver II in 1999. Until October 1998, the career transition services programme was managed in-house, and the current contract placed in 1998, is not due to expire until September 2005. Arrangements are currently in hand to retender this requirement for a further period of at least seven years.

Suez Medal

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long on average it has taken to process claims for the campaign medal for those ex-service personnel who served in the Suez Canal zone between 1951 and 1954.

Ivor Caplin: At this stage it is not possible to give a meaningful average figure. Over 34,000 claims have been received, the majority by the Army Medal Office (AMO), which has had to spend more time than is usual to acknowledge the huge number of letters which have arrived in the last four months. This has delayed the assessing of individual claims, though the backlog of letters requiring acknowledgement has now been cleared. The AMO are aiming to process between 250 and 300 cases a week, but many variables can and do impinge on this target.

Suez Medal

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims his Department has received for campaign medals for those ex-service personnel who served in the Suez Canal zone between 1951 and 1954 from (a) former Naval personnel, (b) former Army personnel and (c) former RAF personnel.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence has received the following applications from veterans and their families up to week ending 20 February 2004.
	
		
			 Service Number of applications 
		
		
			 Royal Navy 1,521 
			 Royal Marines 622 
			 Army 25,048 
			 Royal Air Force 7,076 
			 Total applications 34,267

Suez Medal

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's personnel are processing claims for a campaign medal for those ex-service personnel who served in the Suez Canal Zone between 1951 and 1954; and when he expects this process to be complete.

Ivor Caplin: The number of people who are dealing with applications for the new campaign medal for service in the Suez Canal Zone varies to meet the demand. Some staff are occupied full-time on this task, particularly with assessing individual entitlement to the medal, while support staff are working both on the Canal Zone medals and others as part of their duties. The individual medal offices have the following staff addressing this task:
	Royal Naval Medal Office: four staff assessing claims, plus one part-time clerk ordering and despatching the medals.
	Royal Marines Medal Office: overall one half of one person.
	Army Medal Office: Nine staff directly processing claims, plus three people acknowledging claims, stamping and despatching medals.
	Royal Air Force Medal Office: overall three personnel receiving, assessing and despatching medals.
	It is not possible to say when the process will be complete as it will depend entirely on when veterans and their families apply for the medal.

Radioactive Contamination (Hebrides)

Calum MacDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the Summary Report of Radioactive Contamination problems at the RA Range Hebrides and the decontamination of the Radiac Source Store and Compound, produced by Naval Radiation Protection Services, in September 1980, in the Library.

Ivor Caplin: Arrangements are in hand to de-classify the report, and, as soon as this has been done, a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Welsh Infantry

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) establishment and (b) current strength is of each of the regular Welsh infantry battalions; and where they are located.

Ivor Caplin: The establishment, strength and location of the Welsh Infantry Battalions, as at 1 January 2004, are included in the following table:
	
		
			 Regiment Unit establishment Unit strength Location 
		
		
			 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Wales 741 680 Barker Barracks Paderborn Germany 
			 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards 618 660 RAF St. Athan Vale of Glamorgan Wales 
			 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh Fusiliers 668 620 New Mons Barracks Aldershot

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Equal Pay

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister for Women what the difference in pay in Greater London was between (a) full-time and (b) part-time (i) male and (ii) female workers in each year since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: The following table shows the mean hourly pay gap in Greater London between (a) men and women in full-time employment and (b) men in full-time employment and women in part-time employment in each year since 1997.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Pay gap between men's and women's full-time mean hourly earnings Pay gap between men's mean full-time hourly earnings and women's mean part-time hourly earnings 
		
		
			 1997 23.4 45.7 
			 1998 23.3 45.1 
			 1999 23.3 45.2 
			 2000 22.7 48.0 
			 2001 23.0 51.1 
			 2002 23.0 48.9 
			 2003 23.6 46.0 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for men's part-time hourly earnings are not available due to small sample sizes.

TREASURY

Unemployment (Anniesland)

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the most recent figure is for unemployment in Glasgow, Anniesland.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr John Robertson, dated 8 March 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment in the Glasgow Anniesland Parliamentary Constituency. (158619)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following the internationally standard International Labour Organisation definitions. For Parliamentary constituencies, information about unemployment rates, but not levels, is available, subject to the sample size being sufficiently large. However, the sample size for Glasgow Anniesland is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment.
	ONS also publishes data on the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). In January 2004 there were 1,864 JSA claimants in the Glasgow Anniesland Parliamentary Constituency. This represents 4.9 per cent. of the working age population of the area.

Child Trust Fund

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed EU investment services directive on the sales regime for Child Trust Funds.

Ruth Kelly: The Government are continuing to work with the Financial Services Authority on the development of the regulatory regime for the Child Trust Fund. The Government believe that its plans for the Child Trust Fund are consistent with the draft version of the investment services directive agreed by the Council in October 2003.

Work Force

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the change has been in the net size of the work force in the UK since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mark Simmonds, dated 8 March 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about skilled migrant workers in the NHS and in the Education sector. (157584)
	The attached table gives the available information from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the three month period ending in November 2003. "Migrant" workers have been identified from the survey as those people working in the UK whose nationality is not British. The survey does not analyse data specifically according to "skills", but for this purpose "skills" have been represented in terms of a person's highest qualification.
	As with any statistical sample survey, estimates for the LFS are subject to sampling variability.
	
		Non-British nationals of working age(5) working in the NHS and the education sector, by highest qualification held—3-month period ending November 2003 -- Thousands
		
			  Health authority or NHS trust Education sector(6) 
		
		
			 Highest qualification   
			 Degree or equivalent 41 23 
			 Higher education 35 (7)— 
			 GCE A-level or equivalent (7)— (7)— 
			 GCSE grades A-C or equivalent (7)— (7)— 
			 Other qualifications 36 10 
			 No qualification (7)— (7)— 
		
	
	(5) Applies to all men aged 16 to 64 and women 16 to 59.
	(6) This includes university, polytechnic or other grant funded educational establishments.
	(7) Sample size too small for reliable estimate.
	Source:
	ONS—Labour Force Survey

Debt Relief

Patsy Calton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether sufficient funds are available from the money committed by the G8 in Canada in 2002 for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries fund for top-up debt relief to provide the sum required for Ethiopia to meet the sustainable debt to export ratio set by the World Bank.

John Healey: Following the enhancement of the HIPC Initiative in 1999, it became apparent that some countries would reach Completion Point with deteriorated debt indicators compared to the projections at Decision Point. As a result, the Initiative provides the option of additional debt relief, or 'topping-up', at Completion Point, beyond that committed at Decision Point, when exceptional and exogenous factors have caused a substantial deterioration in a country's long-term debt sustainability. At the G8 summit in Kananaskis, leaders agreed to fund the financing shortfall in the HIPC Trust Fund, pledging up to an extra US $1 billion, part of which would be used to cover additional costs of topping up.
	Ethiopia is shortly expected to reach its HIPC Completion Point with a debt-to-export ratio in excess of the 150 per cent. target set by the IMF and World Bank, and so should be eligible for consideration for topping up. The UK has been working closely with the Ethiopian government and supports the case for topping up. The potential costs have not been finalised, but it is expected that the resources pledged in 2002 will cover the costs for the HIPC Trust Fund.

Debt Relief

Patsy Calton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the paper, prepared by the World Bank on Completion Point for Ethiopia, has been presented to the Boards of the (a) World Bank and (b) Interntional Monetary Fund.

John Healey: Ethiopia is expected to reach Completion Point in the HIPC Initiative shortly. The Completion Point paper has yet to be presented to the Boards of either the World Bank or the IMF.

Debt Relief

Patsy Calton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the date by which the (a) World Bank and (b) International Monetary Fund will decide on the Completion Point for Ethiopia.

John Healey: The Executive Boards of the World Bank and the IMF were scheduled to discuss Ethiopia's Completion Point at the end of February 2004. New dates for these meetings are expected to be set shortly. The UK has been working closely with the Ethiopian government and supports the case for topping up Ethiopia's debt relief at Completion Point.

Equitable Life

Lady Hermon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he expects to publish the Penrose Report on Equitable Life.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish the Penrose Report.

Ruth Kelly: The Penrose Report on Equitable Life is being published today in full, copies of which are available in the Library of the House (HC 290).

EU Savings Directive

Gary Streeter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the EU Savings Directive on UK dependent territories.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 12 December 2002 Official Report, column 475W.

EU Savings Directive

Gary Streeter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the status is of the EU Savings Directive; and whether he intends to implement it in the (a) UK and (b) dependent territories before ensuring that it applies equally in other states with a similar financial services industry.

Dawn Primarolo: The EU Savings Directive was adopted by ECOFIN on the 3 June 2003. The proposed commencement date of 1 January 2005 in the Directive is contingent on agreements being in place with Switzerland, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino to apply from the same date equivalent measures as in the Directive, and on arrangements being in place with the associated and dependent territories listed in Article 17 of the Directive to apply from the same date the same measures as in the Directive.

Fuel Duty

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on air quality of the increase in fuel duty on liquefied petroleum gas in the Pre-Budget Report 2003.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Lady to the reply I gave on 1 March to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) Official Report, column 690W.

National Statistics

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the death rates from (a) cancer and (b) coronary heart disease were in (i) the North West and (ii) each Lancashire constituency or district in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle dated 8 March 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what the latest death rates from (a) cancer and (b) coronary heart disease are in (i) the North West and (ii) in each Lancashire constituency or district in each of the last three years for which figures are available. (158825)
	The latest year for which the figures requested are available is 2002 and these are given, with figures for 2000 and 2001, in the attached table.
	
		Death rates(8) from cancer and coronary heart disease(9) in the north west Government office region(10) and local authorities in the former county of Lancashire,(10) , (11) 2000 to 2002(12).
		
			  Age standardised death rates per 100,000 population(8) 
			  2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Cancer
			 North West 211 208 205 
			 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 208 198 218 
			 Blackpool 211 229 218 
			 Burnley 215 181 235 
			 Chorley 224 200 175 
			 Fylde 193 170 177 
			 Hyndburn 207 228 207 
			 Lancaster 182 176 201 
			 Pendle 168 195 177 
			 Preston 178 212 208 
			 Ribble Valley 168 200 156 
			 Rossendale 164 205 188 
			 South Ribble 206 193 203 
			 West Lancashire 203 203 192 
			 Wyre 207 180 179 
			 
			 Coronary heart disease
			 North West 157 155 146 
			 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 175 171 165 
			 Blackpool 172 146 137 
			 Burnley 168 166 152 
			 Chorley 163 134 144 
			 Fylde 138 130 119 
			 Hyndbum 165 177 151 
			 Lancaster 141 155 133 
			 Pendle 157 134 154 
			 Preston 164 158 130 
			 Ribble Valley 137 135 122 
			 Rossendale 166 146 149 
			 South Ribble 144 144 125 
			 West Lancashire 151 143 146 
			 Wyre 142 122 124 
		
	
	(8) Rates per 100,000 population standardised to the European Standard Population.
	(9) The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (1CD-9) for 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2001–2002. The codes used are listed below:
	Cancer (malignant neoplasms)—/CD-9 140–208; ICD-10 COO-C97;
	Coronary Heart Disease—1CD-9 410–414; ICD-10 120–125.
	(10) Usual residents of these areas.
	(11) The former county of Lancashire comprises the current county and the unitary authorities of Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool.
	(12) Deaths occurring in the calendar years 2000 to 2002.

Private Schools

Stephen Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue which would be raised if VAT were to be applied to private school fees.

John Healey: The provision of education in return for fees in private schools is exempt from VAT, in accordance with the requirements of the European Union VAT Directives on which UK VAT law is based.
	The cost of the VAT exemption for private education, as last published in the Tax ready reckoner and tax reliefs' in December 2003, was estimated at £150 million.

Stamp Duty

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the case for amending the stamp duty brackets in this year's Budget.

Ruth Kelly: All aspects of the tax system are kept under review as part of the annual budget process.

Temporary Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: HM Treasury presently employs around 30 staff at any one time through employment agencies, some 3 per cent. of the total employed. Payments to such agencies were £788,000 in 2001–02; £927,000 in 2002–03; and £983,000 in the first 11 months of 2003–04.

Websites

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost in (a) financial and (b) other terms was in (i) each financial year since 1997 and (ii) 2003–04 until the latest date for which figures are available of (A) developing and (B) maintaining (1) his Department's website and (2) each website for which his Department is responsible; and how many (C) unique hosts and (D) hits there were in each month for each website in (iii) each financial year since 1997 and (iv) 2003–04 until the latest date for which numbers are available.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury's public website (www.hm-treasurv.gov.uk) is run by the department's publishing and internet unit. At present, 3.5 full time equivalent staff work on web-based projects.
	The direct costs of running the site over the last 12 months was £84,613.32. During this period, the site had 38 million page views and more than two million visitors. For information on costs for earlier periods, I refer the hon. member to the replies I gave the hon. member for Buckingham (John Bercow) on 23 March 2003 (Official Report, column 60W) and to the hon. member for Arundel and South Downs on 19 December 2001 (Official Report, column 321W).
	The Treasury also maintains the Euro preparations website (www.euro.aov.uk') at a cost of £32,782 in the current financial year, £36,793 during 2002–03, £59,030 during 2001–02 and £30,399 during 2000–01. The site has received 1.7 million visits since the site was re-launched by the Chancellor in March 2001.
	In co-operation with the Cabinet Office, the Treasury maintains the Invest to Save Budget website (www.isb.gov.uk1) at a cost of £11,515 during 2000–01, £41,959 during 2001—02, £11,116 during 2002–03 and £62,875 during 2003–04 when the website and the database of project information that is accessed through it was redeveloped.
	The department is currently participating in the joint Treasury, Bank of England and Financial Services Authority financial continuity website and has paid £5,705.80 in development costs during this financial year.
	Other smaller sites run and managed by the Treasury are maintained by the Publishing unit with assistance from the Information Services (Official Report, column 60W) and to the hon. member for Arundel and South Downs on 19 December 2001 (Official Report, column 321W).

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Beagle 2 Project

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much public money was spent on the Beagle 2 project.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government made a financial commitment of up to £20 million to the Beagle 2 project. The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council contributed to the Mars Express Mission through the European Space Agency's science programme and additionally awarded grants totalling £5 million in support of Beagle 2's science instruments and their operation. The Millennium Commission also provided £l million towards the Beagle Operations Centre.

Broadband

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role Ofcom will have in promoting the take-up of broadband.

Stephen Timms: The Communications Act 2003 (c.21) Part 1, page 3 sets out the general duties of Ofcom in carrying out their functions, including the desirability of encouraging the availability and use of high speed data transfer services throughout the United Kingdom.
	The Government believe that a competitive market is key to the successful promotion of broadband. Ofcom is continuing to promote effective and sustainable competition in the broadband market.
	Ofcom is consulting on its Annual Plan until 11 March 2004. In this, Ofcom proposes to publish a broadband consumer guide in Summer 2004 to help and encourage consumers to take advantage of the choices and services available to them.

Business Output

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the level of business output in (a) the North West and (b) Lancashire was in the last year for which figures were available.

Jacqui Smith: The value of business output in 2000, measured by gross value added, and calculated as the sum of all sectors excluding the public sector, was as follows:
	
		
			  £ billion 
		
		
			 Northwest 70.8 
			 Lancashire 13.8

Business Statistics

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses registered for bankruptcy in (a) London, broken down by borough and (b) Wales, broken down by local authority, in each of the past three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 3 March 2004
	Insolvency figures are only available on the basis of the Official Receivers Office dealing with the cases, therefore it is not possible to identify precisely insolvencies in London or Wales. Both company and individual insolvencies are included in the following table, as the individual bankruptcy figures only include the self-employed along with consumer bankruptcies. Company insolvencies are made up of Company Compulsory Liquidations and Creditors Voluntary Liquidations of which only Company Compulsory Liquidations are available on an Official Receivers Office basis. The table gives annual figures for the number of individual Bankruptcies and Company Compulsory Liquidations dealt with by the Official Receivers Office in London and combined for the offices of Cardiff and Swansea.
	
		
			  2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Individual bankruptcies and Company Compulsory Liquidations registered at the Official Receivers Office in London
			 Individual bankruptcies 1,427 1,457 1,933 
			 Company Compulsory Liquidations 911 1,147 864 
			 
			 Individual bankruptcies and Company Compulsory Liquidations registered at the Official Receivers Offices in Cardiff and Swansea
			 Individual bankruptcies 951 1,018 1,054 
			 Company Compulsory Liquidations 167 184 169

Business Support

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evaluation her Department has made of the regional development agency-led business support pilots in the (a) North West, (b) West Midlands and (c) East Midlands; and how these regions compare to non-participating regions.

Jacqui Smith: The independent research organisation, ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd., was commissioned in December 2003 to make an initial qualitative assessment of the progress of the 3 Regional Development Agency-led pilots, compared to non-participating regions.
	Fieldwork for the evaluation is still in progress, and findings will be available in late spring.

Business Support

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what money her Department has allocated for business support schemes; and how much of this money has gone unclaimed in each of the last five years.

Patricia Hewitt: The following table shows the final net allocation for the programmes defined as Function A: Promotion of enterprise, innovation and increased productivity in the Departmental Estimates and Expenditure Plans Reports/Departmental Report for the years 1998–99 to 2002–03.
	
		
			 Financial year Final allocation (£million) 
		
		
			 1998–1999 596.4 
			 1999–2000 647.7 
			 2000–01 693.3 
			 2001–02 793.4 
			 2002–03 779.7 
		
	
	Under business support schemes businesses normally make applications that, where they meet the relevant scheme criteria, result in offers being made by the Department. Information on the amount of such offers which go unclaimed, in the sense that they are not taken up, is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

Consumer Credit

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the highest (a) store card interest rate and (b) bank credit card rate in the UK are; and if she will make a statement on the effect on consumers of the rates charged.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 5 March 2004
	The Department does not collect data on the interest rates charged by lenders.
	The credit market is a competitive market. It is, however, clearly important that charges for credit should be clear and that consumers understand how much they will have to pay for borrowing. The Office of Fair Trading is currently undertaking a study into the store card market, which is expected to be completed shortly. Our proposals for reform of consumer credit legislation, published in the White Paper "Fair, Clear and Competitive: the Consumer Credit Market in the 21st Century", will among other things ensure that all consumer credit advertising, including the advertising of credit cards, is clear, fair and not misleading and that APRs are advertised on a consistent basis.
	The consultation period closes on 15 March 2004 and I anticipate that the new regulations should come into force on 31 October 2004.

Consumer Direct

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the budget of Consumer Direct is for the next three financial years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The budget of Consumer Direct for the next three financial years is:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2003–04 3 
			 2004–05 11 
			 2005–06 16 
		
	
	This may be subject to adjustment depending on the speed of roll out following implementation of the Consumer Direct pathfinder nations/regions this summer. The pathfinders are Scotland, Wales, Yorkshire and Humberside and the South West.

Credit Card Fraud

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department is taking to address the concerns of on-line consumers about credit card fraud.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 protect consumers against payment card fraud including credit cards. The Regulations apply to contracts made at a distance including on-line ones. The Card issuer is required to reimburse consumers the full amount in the event of fraudulent use of the consumer's card.
	In addition, the Consumer Credit Act 1974 allows consumers to recover the cost of a purchase made by credit card from either the supplier or the credit card provider in the event of a breach of contract or misrepresentation. This provides additional protection should a consumer be unable to trace the supplier. The Banking Code says that the consumer's liability for misuse of a card will be limited unless there is evidence that the consumer has acted fraudulently or without reasonable care.
	The Home Office has recently launched a website to combat fraud over the internet. The 'e-tailing mini site' forms part of the Crime Reduction Website and includes information to help on-line consumers protect themselves from fraud. The website address is http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/etailing.

Directors' Remuneration

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the respondents to the consultation document Rewards for Failure—Directors Remuneration—Contracts, Performance and Severance; and if she will list those respondents who (a) advocated legislative provisions and (b) did not want legislation to address executive remuneration.

Jacqui Smith: There were 112 responses in all, from a wide range of parties: institutional investor, companies, trades unions, accountants, remuneration advisers and many representative organisations. Some responses were sent in confidence. These apart, all responses are available for inspection on application to the DTI Library.
	The consultation was principally about best practice options, but sought views on three questions relating to possible legislative changes arising from recommendations of the Company Law Review. Of these, there was majority support only for that which asked whether companies legislation should provide for the prohibition of rolling contracts having a notice or contract period in excess of the period permitted by section 319 of the Companies Act 1985.

Employment Regulation

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many recommendations were made by the recent Better Regulation Task Force report on employment regulation; how many have been implemented by her Department; and by what methods.

Nigel Griffiths: The Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF) made 12 recommendations in its report of May 2002. The Government published their response to this report, accepting the recommendations, in August 2002. This explains how the recommendations are being taken forward and is available from the Libraries of the House.
	The Government response to the report can be found at: http://www.dti. gov.uk/er/brtfresponse.htm.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the Export Credits Guarantee Department's maximum liability was in each financial year since 1998–99 (a) in the passenger aircraft sector, (b) in the renewable energy sector excluding large hydro-energy and energy from waste technologies, (c) in the non-renewable energy sector, (d) for exports to the United States, (e) in the defence aircraft sector and (f) for large hydro-energy exports.

Mike O'Brien: ECGD does not categorise its business precisely in line with the question but, from information available, ECGD's maximum possible liability on future amounts at risk at the end of each of the Financial Years for the categories listed was as set out in the table.
	It is important to note that maximum liability is not the actual amount of cover.
	
		£ million
		
			 Sector 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			  
			  
			 (a) Passenger aircraft sector 3,602 4,392 5,192 5,256 4,570 
			 (b) Renewable energy sector 105 42 40 33 13 
			 (c) Non-renewable energy sector 3,718 4,726 5,227 3,688 3,123 
			 (d) United States 351 533 752 762 654 
			 (e) Defence aircraft sector 779 714 1,304 1,117 1,229 
			 (f) Large hydro-energy sector 122 92 66 47 13

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Export Credits Guarantee Department had received the Human Rights Watch report of January 1999 on human rights abuses in connection with the Dabhol power project in India when it provided overseas investment insurance for the project.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 4 March 2004
	ECGD had not received a copy of the Human Rights Watch report at that time.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment the Export Credits Guarantee Department made of the social, environmental and human rights impact of the Dabhol Power Project before it provided overseas investment insurance to banks for investing in the project; if she will place in the Library the relevant documentation; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 4 March 2004
	ECGD did not at the time have a policy on social, environmental and human rights impact assessment. As a result, no such assessment was carried out.
	Following the publication of its Business Principles in December 2000, ECGD's assessment of projects now takes into account the Government's international policies, including those on sustainable development, environment and human rights.

Fireworks

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made on the control of fireworks.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Under the Fireworks Act 2003 we have already made the Fireworks Regulations 2003 which came into force on 22 December. These Regulations make it an offence for the under 18s to possess fireworks in public places and for all members of the public to possess the large and powerful category 4 fireworks used at professionally organised displays.
	Also we are currently consulting on draft regulations to be made under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 to enshrine in law the firework industry's voluntary ban on air bombs.
	Preliminary consultations on implementing the remainder of the Fireworks Act are continuing and draft regulations will be published during the first half of this year to introduce a national curfew banning the use of fireworks during anti-social hours; a noise limit of 120 decibels on consumer type fireworks; a compulsory training course for operators of public displays and a new licensing system for the sale of fireworks.

Gender Equality

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to ensure equality between men and women in the workplace.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government are taking action on a number of fronts to ensure equality between men and women in the workplace. We are continuing to improve the workings of the Equal Pay Act and the Sex Discrimination Act, for example through the introduction of the Equal Pay questionnaire in April 2003 and our planned consultation on speeding up and simplifying equal value tribunals. The Government are taking forward policies to tackle the pay gap that help secure equal pay, and broader causes of the pay gap, such as women's lower level of work experience and the part-time pay gap. The Government have led by example in committing all Civil Service departments and agencies to review their pay systems and produce action plans to close any equal pay gaps. The Government have also provided funding for the EOC to develop equal pay tool kits so all organisations can carry out equal pay reviews.
	In addition, we are working to remove existing barriers to equality, such as our work to promote women's access to sectors where they are currently under-represented, and to increase diversity in the boardroom. We have introduced measures to help parents maintain links with the world of work and better balance their work and home lives, which will contribute to a reduction of the pay gap. The Government have provided funding to expand childcare provision to meet the changing needs of families. The Government also welcome the EOC's investigation into modern apprenticeships and the concentration of men and women in different professions.

Labour Disputes

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the average cost of working days lost owing to labour disputes in Greater London in the (a) public and (b) private sector in each year between 1995 and 2003.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The DTI does not make these estimates. The Office for National Statistics provides statistics on the number of stoppages and days lost through industrial action. Their latest set of statistics for the United Kingdom show that the number of working days lost in 2003 fell to 497,000 and the number of stoppages is at an all time low.

Landfill Directive

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements she is making to ensure that the United Kingdom complies with the provisions of the Landfill Directive relating to the disposal of tyres.

Stephen Timms: The Landfill Directive requires the introduction of a ban on the disposal of most whole used tyres to landfill from July 2003, and this has been achieved by The Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations 2002. Regulations have also been introduced covering Scotland and Northern Ireland. Shredded tyres are also due to be banned from disposal to landfill, and this ban will take full effect from July 2006.

Landfill Directive

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of end-of-life tyres were disposed of in ways that met the terms of the EU Landfill Directive in 2003.

Stephen Timms: The data to compile used tyre statistics for 2003 are currently being collected. Provisional figures suggest that value was recovered from around 80 per cent., based on 450,000 tonnes of used tyre arisings. This recovery rate is significantly higher than in previous years.

Landfill Directive

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements she is making to ensure that all UK end-of-life tyres will be shredded prior to 2006.

Stephen Timms: The infrastructure to reprocess used tyres continues to grow, as evidenced by provisional statistics for 2003 showing a recover rate of around 80 per cent. used tyre arisings. It follows that tyres are being increasingly diverted from landfill disposal, which figures suggest is running at around a quarter of 2001 levels. Companies have already installed significant shredding capacity, both as a pre-treatment stage prior to recovery or as a means of reducing transport costs. The requirement to shred tyres, prior to landfill disposal until July 2006, should not therefore present undue difficulty for the industry.

Minimum Wage

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies have been convicted of breaking the rules on the minimum wage in each year since its introduction; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of (a) compliance teams and (b) local enforcement pilot projects in improving compliance with the minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table provides details of the number of employers investigated by the Inland Revenue where non-compliance with the minimum wage was found.
	
		
			  Number of employers 
		
		
			 1999–000 1,280 
			 2000–01 2,119 
			 2001–02 1,937 
			 2002–03 1,996 
			 2003–04(13) 1,813 
		
	
	(13) To 31 January 2004.
	The Inland Revenue enforce the minimum wage on behalf of the DTI through a service level agreement with the DTI. Both Departments monitor performance to ensure value for money is achieved. We intend to evaluate on the effectiveness of the local enforcement pilot projects later this year.

Minimum Wage

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to allow citizens of EU accession states to claim, from 1 May onwards, the national minimum wage while (i) living and (ii) working in the United Kingdom.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 27 February 2004
	The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 provides that all qualifying workers who work in the UK are entitled to be paid at least the national minimum wage regardless of their country of origin.
	We have announced that individuals from the accession states will be entitled to work in the UK provided they meet certain conditions. These will include registering with the Home Office under its workers' registration scheme, which was announced last week.

Minimum Wage

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in each Lancashire constituency are earning the minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is not possible to provide estimates of the number of people earning the national minimum wage specifically for each Lancashire constituency. However, based on the Office for National Statistics' Low Pay data released in 2003, the DTI estimates that around 140,000 people in the North West stood to benefit from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999.
	The DTI estimates that between 130,000 and 160,000 people in the North West benefited from the increase in minimum wage rates in October 2003.

National Business Angels Networks

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the costs of the matchmaking activities element of the National Business Angels Networks was; and when it was decided not to continue funding this element.

Nigel Griffiths: It is not possible to identify, separately, the costs of the matchmaking activities element of the National Business Angels Network. As I stated in my earlier reply of 2 February 2004, Official Report, column 647W, it was as a result of the findings of the external evaluation that we decided not to provide any funding for these activities from the start of the current financial year.
	Our current agreement letter makes it explicit that NBAN's matchmaking facility is expected to operate separately from the rest of its activities and that no DTI grant monies should be used to subsidise this element.

Packaging

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to enforce regulations limiting excessive packaging on products.

Jacqui Smith: The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 state that packaging volume and weight must be the minimum amount to maintain necessary levels of safety, hygiene and acceptance for the packed product and for the consumer. The regulations are enforced by local Trading Standards Officers who work closely with the packaging industry and producers to advise them on best practice in packaging design and to resolve complaints of excessive packaging. A recent study commissioned by the DTI highlights the extensive changes brought about since the introduction of the Essential Requirements. These relate to improvements in packaging design, including minimisation. This report can be viewed at www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/packagingfinalreport.pdf and is also available from the DTI publications order line (0870 150 2500) by quoting unique reference number 03/1364.

Parliamentary Questions

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will respond to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Weston-Super-Mare on 19 January 2004 on funding for business support schemes.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 5 March 2002
	I have replied today.

Post Office

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contribution her Department is making following the announcement by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 16 July 2003, to facilitate the reconfiguration of NIREX as a body entirely independent of the nuclear industry.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 5 March 2004
	The Department is continuing to work with Defra and other departments to determine the future of Nirex.

Post Office

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future of Post Office Ltd.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 5 March 2004
	There are many challenges facing Post Office Ltd. in ensuring that its network of post offices can remain viable and sustainable. The Performance and Innovation Report published in 2000 showed quite starkly that the post office network had not kept pace with the changing needs of its customers and was suffering from lack of investment. A strong management team has been put in place and given the task of turning the company round and building a commercially successful future for the network, by introducing new products and services to bring in new customers.

Post Office

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the ability of Post Office Ltd. adequately to serve all those in local communities who need access to local post offices, with particular reference to the Network Reinvention Programme.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 5 March 2004
	Post Office Ltd. is committed to ensuring that, at the end of the network reinvention programme, nationally at least 95 per cent. of the urban population will still live within one mile of a post office and the majority within half a mile.

Post Office

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the conformity of (a) Post Office Ltd. and (b) Postwatch with the guidance offered in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Performance and Innovation Unit Report 2000 in each year since 2000.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 5 March 2004
	The recommendations of the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit's 2000 Report on modernising the post office network were accepted in full by the Government. In line with the Report, several have now been fully implemented, and implementation of others continues in conjunction with Post Office Ltd. and other stakeholders.
	In line with the Performance and Innovation Unit's recommendation, the Postal Services Commission reports annually on the post office network and copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

Public Service Agreement

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to publish regional analyses of her Department's net spending on Promotion of Enterprise, Innovation and Increased Productivity for 2002–03.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department's spring 2003 Departmental Report (Cm 5916, May 2003) provided regional breakdowns of Government funding for 2002–03 for the Regional Development Agencies and expenditure on Regional Selective Assistance (Chapter 10, figures 10.1 and 10.2). Updated information will be detailed in the spring 2004 Departmental Report, which is due to be published in April 2004.
	The Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) 2003 (Cm 50901, May 2003) provided a more wide-ranging analysis of public expenditure by country and region for 1998–99 to 2001–02. The 2004 edition will be published alongside this spring's Departmental Reports.

Refrigerators

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) non-domestic and (b) domestic refrigerators were bought in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: The data requested are not available from official sources.

Regional Economic Strategies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to introduce a standardised method of monitoring and reporting on delivery of regional economic strategies by each regional development agency.

Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given on 19 January 2004, Official Report, column 1043W.

Renewable Energy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which projects have benefited from the Renewable Energy Initiative of the Export Credit Guarantee Department.

Mike O'Brien: The Renewable Energy Initiative (R.E.I) has so far produced 24 initial inquiries, and we are hopeful that over time some of these will develop into firm business. The REI was never going to produce quick wins but is about raising awareness.

VAT Registration

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses have (a) registered and (b) de-registered for VAT since 1997 in each of the 88 deprived local authorities in England.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 26 February 2004
	The Neighbourhood Renewal Unit has defined 88 local authorities in England as being deprived for the purposes of targeting the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. The number of VAT registrations and de-registrations for each deprived local authority between 1997 and 2002 is available from the Libraries of the House. Data for 2003 will not be available until autumn 2004.

Working Time

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many initiatives designed to support innovative working time reform have been sponsored by her Department since 1997; and at what cost.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Work Life Balance Challenge Fund has helped employers develop and implement flexible working policies through 448 projects, helping some 1.2 million employees, at a cost of £10.5 million over the last three years. As a result over 80 per cent. of these employers report that they permit some of their employees to adopt flexible working-time arrangements. The Work Life Balance Campaign has spent £1.2 million this year promoting flexible working, producing publicity materials such as our current "50 cases studies" booklet. This helps employers see how firms can adapt flexible work policies, and shows such policies are generally inexpensive but often produce substantial savings. The campaign also helps to sponsor events including the Work Life Balance Trust week-long awareness campaigns that take place each September, and increases awareness of the benefits of work-life balance for those who have to care for elder dependents.
	In addition, from April 2003, mothers and fathers with children under six or disabled children under 18 have the right to request a flexible working pattern, which equates to 3.7 million employees eligible to make a request. In the RIA before implementation of the flexible working law we estimated the total recurring costs to employers at £296 million: implementation costs of £6 million, with a £34 million one-off cost; request handling £114 million; and accommodating changes to working patterns £176 million. As the legislation has been in operation for less than a year we do not have confirmation of these estimates at this time.

Working Time

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with (a) the British Chambers of Commerce, (b) the Federation of Small Businesses, (c) the Confederation of British Industry and (d) Labour Members of the European Parliament regarding the UK opt-out from the Working Time Directive.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets with the CBI on a monthly basis to discuss a variety of issues, including Working Time. To my knowledge, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not discussed Working Time with either the British Chambers of Commerce or the Federation of Small Businesses; however, my hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business and Enterprise and I have with the Federation of Small Businesses very recently, although they did not ask for Working Time to be on the agenda on either of these occasions. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has telephoned Stephen Hughes MEP about the Working Time Directive and I visited the European Parliament on 20 January and saw several MEP's including Gary Titley and Claude Moraes. Officials in my Department frequently meet various organisations, representing all sides of business and employees, to discuss Working Time including the opt-out.

Working Time

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her policy is on the (a) reform and (b) removal of the UK opt-out from the Working Time Directive.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government are committed to the retention of the opt-out from the 48-hour weekly working time limit. We are concerned to hear about possible misuse of the opt-out but do not believe that this is a reason to abolish it. It is better, we believe, if it were to be established that there are problem areas, to consider what safeguards are necessary to ensure that it works properly.

Working Time

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Eddisbury on 5 February on the UK opt-out from the EU Working Time Directive.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The PQ tabled by the hon. Member for Eddisbury on 5 February, was answered on 26 February 2004, Official Report, column 497W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Payments

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many adults are in receipt of (a) Disability Living Allowance, (b) Incapacity Benefit and (c) Attendance Allowance in each of the local authority wards in Wrexham for the latest year for which figures are available; and what percentage of the population this represents.

Maria Eagle: The numbers of adults in receipt of the benefits listed, in each of the local authority wards in Wrexham, is indicated in the table.
	
		
			  Disability Living Allowance Incapacity Benefit Attendance Allowance 
			 Ward name(15) Number of recipients(16) Percentage of population(17) Number of recipients(16) Percentage of population(17) Number of recipients(16) Percentage of population(17) 
		
		
			 Acton 240 9.73 195 11.47 160 20.86 
			 Borras Park 110 5.11 120 7.34 65 12.45 
			 Bronington 85 3.21 85 3.89 65 13.89 
			 Brymbo 220 10.40 185 10.99 90 21.03 
			 Brynyffynnon 175 6.87 185 8.59 90 22.96 
			 Bryn Cefn 120 7.75 130 10.10 50 18.94 
			 Cartrefle 185 10.65 180 13.47 105 26.79 
			 Cefn 460 11.81 395 12.99 215 25.12 
			 Dyffryn Ceiriog/Ceiriog Valley 90 4.83 90 6.24 60 14.25 
			 Chirk North 135 6.84 115 7.28 60 15.58 
			 Chirk South 65 4.33 55 5.10 70 16.59 
			 Coedpoeth 285 7.64 275 9.06 140 20.23 
			 Erddig 115 6.24 75 5.18 90 22.78 
			 Esclusham 190 8.95 145 8.45 80 19.66 
			 Garden Village 85 4.92 75 5.97 65 13.63 
			 Gresford East and West 100 4.10 110 6.20 150 22.35 
			 Grosvenor 135 6.68 140 9.04 120 25.21 
			 Gwenfro 155 11.22 145 13.06 70 25.93 
			 Gwersyllt East and South 215 6.26 200 6.90 100 18.87 
			 Gwersyllt North 185 9.04 190 10.66 55 20.30 
			 Gwersyllt West 245 10.18 185 9.07 105 28.53 
			 Hermitage 205 10.63 225 15.35 110 23.50 
			 Holt 145 6.30 115 6.18 90 20.50 
			 Johnstown 210 7.87 200 9.12 95 19.75 
			 Little Acton 95 4.90 80 5.25 60 14.39 
			 Llangollen Rural 90 5.56 90 7.12 65 18.11 
			 Llay 285 7.18 250 7.67 130 18.49 
			 Maesydre 150 9.07 120 9.97 75 16.74 
			 Marchwiel 90 4.61 90 5.59 60 17.39 
			 Marford and Hoseley 50 2.56 45 2.74 25 8.09 
			 Minera 110 5.56 110 6.71 45 13.16 
			 New Broughton 175 6.83 195 9.38 105 21.47 
			 Offa 110 5.96 110 7.04 45 16.07 
			 Overton 75 2.97 65 3.29 90 16.39 
			 Pant 170 9.64 185 13.34 90 24.00 
			 Penycae 195 11.33 190 12.82 45 18.83 
			 Penycae and Ruabon South 140 7.34 145 9.29 65 18.73 
			 Plas Madoc 210 15.85 260 23.57 50 22.52 
			 Ponciau 310 8.27 320 11.30 240 26.32 
			 Queensway 185 10.81 280 18.87 45 19.57 
			 Rhosnesni 130 5.31 110 5.36 65 16.37 
			 Rossett 85 3.17 85 4.00 85 15.04 
			 Ruabon 150 7.84 185 12.42 80 18.91 
			 Smithfield 195 10.67 210 14.41 95 25.61 
			 Stansty 155 8.58 115 8.44 85 18.97 
			 Whitegate 205 9.44 215 11.43 50 16.67 
			 Wynnstay 235 14.89 250 19.17 60 21.98 
		
	
	(14) Wards are based on 2003 Ward boundaries.
	(15) Number of Recipients—DLA aged 17 and over, IB aged 16 and over, AA aged 65 and over.
	(16) Percentage rates based on relevant resident populations from the 2001 Census (DLA Population aged 16 and over, IB Population aged 16–65, AA Population aged 65 and over).
	(17) All ward level benefit data is the latest currently available, August 2002.
	Notes:
	1. The figures given for incapacity benefit exclude residual severe disablement allowance cases.
	2. All benefit counts have been rounded to a multiple of five to protect the confidentiality of individual claimants, percentages have been rounded to two decimal places.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, Department for Work and Pensions.

Benefit Payments

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to simplify the procedure for individuals wishing to request the direct payment of their benefits.

Chris Pond: Continual monitoring and evaluation throughout the conversion process has resulted in the implementation of a number of improvements to letters, leaflets, scripts and the forms that customers complete. We will continue to monitor our operational processes closely and will make further changes if we see any evidence in future that these are not working effectively.

Disabled People

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many projects in Greater London received funding to promote participation by disabled people in the workplace in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Jobcentre Plus run a number of national programmes to help disabled people overcome barriers to employment; all of these are available in London.
	The New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) supports the Government's commitment to "work for those who can and support for those who cannot" and is designed to help people with disabilities and health conditions in finding and sustaining paid employment. NDDP is the first programme specifically designed to support people on disability and health-related benefits into employment. Participation in NDDP is entirely voluntary.
	The Access to Work programme is open to disabled people already in employment (including self-employment), people changing jobs and unemployed people about to start work. It helps towards the additional employment costs resulting from disability.
	In April 2001, the former Supported Employment Programme was modernised and renamed Workstep; it places greater emphasis on developing disabled people and helping them move into mainstream employment where possible.
	Work Preparation is an individually tailored programme that enables people to overcome barriers to work associated with their disability, and prepares them to join the labour market with the necessary confidence to find and keep work.
	The Job Introduction Scheme provides a weekly grant of £75 towards the employment costs incurred during the first few weeks of employment. This is usually paid for six weeks but may be extended to a total of 13 weeks. The scheme is for use at the discretion of Jobcentre Plus staff in situations where a disabled applicant is considered suitable, but the employer has genuine doubts about the individual's ability to cope with the proposed job or place of work.

Ethnic Minority Outreach Programme

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to announce the extension of the Ethnic Minority Outreach Programme.

Des Browne: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the extension of the Ethnic Minority Outreach Programme in July 2002 as part of the 2002 Spending Review 'Opportunity and Security for All'.
	The additional £14 million funding will be available from April 2004 for two years. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to make a further announcement at this time.

Ministerial Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Leicester;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on his visit to open the outreach centre provided by Business-to-Business (UK) Ltd.

Des Browne: My right hon. Friend has not visited Leicester recently. However, I was pleased to be able to visit the two Jobcentre Plus Offices in Charles street and Wellington street, Leicester on 4 February 2004, where I met staff, employers and partners who work in or use the offices. Jobcentre Plus in Leicester now offers a truly modern service, offering a range of job and benefit help to its customers—including access to more than 400,000 vacancies Europe-wide.
	I also visited Leicester on 25 November 2003 to open the Business-to-Business service, awarded a contract by Jobcentre Plus to deliver Outreach services to the local ethnic minority population. I look forward to seeing the results generated by this innovative provision.

New Deal

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding has been allocated to advertising for each of the New Deal programmes in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The available information on advertising media spend for the New Deal programme since 1997 is in the table.
	
		
			  New Deal programme Spend(18) (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 New Deal 3,571,000 
			  New Deal for Lone Parents 54,000 
			 1998–99 New Deal 4,381,000 
			  New Deal for Lone Parents 1,400,000 
			 1999–2000 New Deal 261,000 
			  New Deal for Lone Parents 655,000 
			  New Deal for Partners 201,000 
			 2000–01 New Deal 50 Plus 2,270,000 
			  New Deal for Lone Parents 1,588,000 
			 2001–02 New Deal 25 Plus 613,000 
			  New Deal for Disabled People 350,000 
			 2002–03 New Deal for Musicians 33,000 
			 2003–04(19) New Deal 5,800,000 
		
	
	(18) Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and exclude VAT.
	(19) Allocated budget.
	Notes:
	1. Unless otherwise specified, spend is for generic New Deal advertising.
	2. Figures exclude provision to advertise some local New Deal activities. This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Source:
	COI Communications.

Students

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what joint projects his Department is conducting with the Department for Education and Skills to increase the number of students entering (a) access courses and (b) further education; and what progress has been made to date.

Des Browne: This Department is not conducting any joint projects with the Department for Education and Skills to increase the number of students entering access courses and further education.
	However, through Work Based Learning for Adults, this Department does offer people access to a range of occupational skills training and gives them the opportunity to work towards a recognised qualification that will increase their chances of finding work.
	We also contribute to the Department for Education and Skills' target on Basic Skills by screening clients for basic skills needs, making referrals for assessment and then offering training to those who need it.

Trust Beneficiaries

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  for what reason distributions from trusts are disregarded by the Department for the purposes of assessing care and means tested benefits, with particular reference to beneficiaries of the Macfarlane and Eileen trusts; and if he will make a statement.
	(2)  for what reasons the Department does not permit beneficiaries of the Thalidomide Trust to discount their distributions when being assessed for care and means tested benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The purpose of means tested benefits is to safeguard against anyone falling below a standard set by Parliament as being the minimum subsistence level. They are paid out of public funds and do not require National Insurance contributions to have been paid by the beneficiaries. The rules on the treatment of income and capital strike a balance between protecting people who are less well off and protecting the taxpayer by ensuring that help is directed towards people who need it most.
	The Macfarlane and Eileen Trusts exist to help people who have been infected with HIV from contaminated blood products received as part of NHS treatment and are government funded. At the time the trusts were set up, there was considerable stigma attached to HIV and AIDS and it was considered inappropriate that people should have to disclose their condition to benefits staff. As such, it was decided that there should be no need to disclose payment from the Macfarlane or Eileen trusts.
	The Thalidomide Trust is a private scheme funded by pharmaceutical companies responsible for producing thalidomide. It is treated in the same way as other personal injury payments; capital that is placed in trust for an individual can be disregarded. Income from an individual's trust can also be disregarded as long as the income is used for other than day to day living expenses. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
	The financial assessment for residential accommodation is assessed by the Department for Health. Payments from the Eileen and Macfarlane trusts are disregarded; payments from the Thalidomide Trust are taken into account in the same way as they are for assessing means tested benefits. For Home Care charges, councils have a minimum requirement to follow the capital rules for residential care; however, councils can be more generous if they wish.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Sporting Opportunities (Children)

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on her Department's progress on her Public Service Agreement target to enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by five to 16-year-olds.

Richard Caborn: Data on the number of pupils who choose to take up the entitlement to two hours each week of high-quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum are currently being collected for the first time. The results will be published in April.
	Initial findings from Phase 1 School Sport Partnerships, published last week, provide compelling evidence of the difference that School Sport Partnerships are making.

Second World War

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Heritage Lottery Fund has to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Estelle Morris: Lottery distributors recognise this important anniversary. The New Opportunities Fund has announced an initiative called "Veterans Reunited" and the Heritage Lottery Fund will make a further announcement shortly on how it expects to lend its support.

School Playing Fields

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on lottery funding for school playing fields.

Richard Caborn: Lottery funding will continue to be made available for the provision of new school sports facilities—including playing fields.
	The Government have put in place a number of measures to safeguard existing playing fields and to ensure that effective community use is being made of them.

Museums

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the contribution of museums to the UK economy in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: The National Museums and Galleries sponsored by my Department attract around 9 million tourists from overseas annually and so make a significant contribution to our economy. In this context, I look forward to the publication tomorrow of the report by the National Museums' Directors' Conference: "Valuing Museums", and to considering its findings.

Museums

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many museums in receipt of grants from the National Lottery have closed in each of the past three years.

Estelle Morris: No museum registered through the MLA, and which has been in receipt of grants from the National Lottery, has closed in the past three years. We have information only on registered museums.

Rugby Union

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the authorities representing rugby union about the improvement of stadia.

Richard Caborn: I recently met Howard Thomas, Chief Executive of Premier Rugby, to discuss his proposal for the creation of a Rugby Union Stadia Development Trust to help rugby clubs improve the capacity of their stadia.

Horse Racing

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the progress of the Office of Fair Trading investigation into the control of horse racing.

Richard Caborn: The racing authorities are in continuing discussion with the OFT about their response to the Rule 14 notice which it issued. It remains my hope that these discussions produce a satisfactory outcome.

Digital Television

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made with the digital television action plan with respect to the dates for analogue switch-off in different regions; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: We are working with the stakeholders, within the Digital Television Action Plan, to ensure that the availability and affordability criteria set for switchover are met so that we can, if we choose, take the decision to order the switching off of analogue terrestrial transmission by 2010. We expect implementation of this to be phased over four years, region by region. The exact timetable and the order in which regions will be switched has yet to be determined. We are having discussions with the stakeholders and will undertake a public consultation before we announce the timetable.

Digital Television

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to encourage the sale of digital television sets; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: Consumers who are planning to buy a new television set should be able to make an informed choice between buying a television set with digital decoder integrated into it, and a television set that will require a set top box to enable it to be used for viewing digital television broadcasts. Through the Digital Television Action Plan, we are working with broadcasters, manufacturers, retailers and consumer representatives to make sure that consumers have clear and consistent information, including helpful messages about the benefits of digital equipment.

Licensed Premises (Policing Costs)

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the implications of allowing police authorities to raise a levy on city centre licensed premises to pay for policing costs.

Richard Caborn: We do not consider that the case has yet been made for imposing a compulsory levy on licensed premises for the costs of policing. We believe that the right way forward is through voluntary schemes where they can be justified. The implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 and the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England to be published shortly will do a great deal to address the issues that the honourable Member has previously raised about the policing of the night-time economy.

Arts Council Grants

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if she will list the Arts Council grants for capital projects by (a) name and (b) funding level for each year since 1998;
	(2)  if she will list by (a) name and (b) the revenue funding level the Arts Council grants paid in each year since 1998 to (i) dance companies, (ii) theatre/drama companies, (iii) opera companies, (iv) visual arts organisations, (v) literature organisations and (vi) other arts organisations.

Estelle Morris: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Arts Council Grants

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the Arts Council grants for Capital projects broken down by funding level, which were agreed but not commenced, as at 1 March 2004.

Estelle Morris: The following table supplied by Arts Council England lists all Capital projects where the first payment has not yet been made. Awards made in the recent Grants for the Arts Capital round, announced in February this year, have not been included. In total the list comprises 54 projects totalling £77,105,741.
	
		
			 Applicant Programme name Award amount (£) 
		
		
			 ADUN Society Arts Capital Programme round 1 5,000 
			 Afro Caribbean Resource Centre Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 5,000 
			 Almeida Theatre Company Ltd. Capital Programme One 1,000,000 
			 Art Asia Trust Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 3,500 
			 Asian Music Circuit Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 53,132 
			 Asian Music Circuit Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 100,000 
			 Association of Black Photographers Arts Capital Programme round 1 4,535,450 
			 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Belgrade Theatre Trust (Coventry) Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 2,741,000 
			 Bernie Grant Centre Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan; Institute of Indian Culture Arts Capital Programme round 1 150,000 
			 Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust Ltd. Capital Programme One 1,000,000 
			 Black Voices Limited Arts Capital Programme round 1 100,000 
			 Bluecoat Arts Centre Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 2,750,000 
			 Bristol City Council Capital Programme One 2,060,000 
			 Centre for the Children's Book Arts Capital Programme round 1 465,000 
			 Chichester Festival Theatre Arts Capital Programme round 1 510,669 
			 Chinese Arts Centre (CAC) Arts Capital Programme round 1 100,000 
			 Colchester Borough Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 5,000,000 
			 Creative Art House Arts Capital Programme round 1 970,000 
			 Dance North Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 700,000 
			 Derby City Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Derby City Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 60,000 
			 Derby City Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 2,500,000 
			 Devon Guild Of Craftsmen Arts Capital Programme round 1 150,000 
			 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Hackney Empire Theatre Capital Programme One 1,000,000 
			 Hampshire County Council Capital Programme One 100,000 
			 Hampshire County Council Capital Programme One 400,000 
			 Hextable School Capital Programme One 1,983,103 
			 Inner City Music Limited Capital Programme One 247,725 
			 Jazz Services Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Junction CDC Ltd. Capital Programme One 300,000 
			 Kent County Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Kent County Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 60,000 
			 Kent County Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 250,000 
			 Lowry Centre Trust Capital Programme round 1 250,000 
			 Lyric Theatre Hammersmith Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 220,000 
			 Middlesbrough Borough Council Capital Programme One 4,150,000 
			 Momentum Arts Arts Programme round 1 25,000 
			 Momentum Arts Arts Programme round 1 70,000 
			 Norfolk and Norwich Film Theatre Ltd. Capital Programme One 2,559,728 
			 Northern Ballet Theatre Ltd. Capital Programme One 2,560,457 
			 Northern Stage Arts Capital Programme round 1 500,000 
			 Northern Stage Arts Capital Programme round 1 2,432,649 
			 Palace Theatre Watford Ltd. Capital Programme round 1 250,000 
			 Photographers' Gallery Arts Capital Programme round 1 3,420,000 
			 Roundhouse Trust Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Roundhouse Trust Arts Capital Programme round 1 1,200,000 
			 Roundhouse Trust Arts Capital Programme round 1 2,560,000 
			 Salisbury Arts Centre Capital Programme One 393,820 
			 Salisbury Arts Centre Capital Programme One 1,561,708 
			 Skylight Circus Arts Arts Capital Programme round 1 25,000 
			 Slough Borough Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 70,000 
			 South Bank Board Ltd. Capital Programme One 94,000 
			 South Bank Board Ltd. Capital Programme One 242,000 
			 South Bank Board Ltd. Capital Programme One 20,000,000 
			 Southampton City Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Southampton City Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 70,000 
			 Spike Island Artspace Ltd. Arts Capital Programme round 1 750,000 
			 Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust Arts Capital Programme round 1 80,000 
			 Stroud Valley Artspace Arts Capital Programme round 1 188,100 
			 The Art Exchange Arts Capital Programme round 1 100,000 
			 The Art Exchange Arts Capital Programme round 1 2,708,000 
			 Theatre Royal Plymouth Ltd. Capital Programme One 250,000 
			 Torridge District Council Arts Capital Programme round 1 25,000 
			 Unicorn Theatre for Children Arts Capital Programme round 1 500,000 
			 University of Lincoln Arts Capital Programme round 1 50,000 
			 Yaa Asantewaa Arts and Community Centre Arts Capital Programme round 1 100,000

Athletics Track (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants can be made available for the provision of an athletics track in Chorley.

Richard Caborn: Applications for grants for the provision of new athletics facilities can be made to the following programmes: Community Club Development Programme administered by Sport England, New Opportunities on Physical Education in Schools scheme administered by the New Opportunities Fund. Applications for grants for the refurbishment of existing athletics facilities can be made to Sport England.

BBC Charter Review

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what budget has been set for the BBC Charter review process.

Tessa Jowell: Provision for Charter Review is made within the overall departmental budget. The first phase for which figures are available is the public consultation, which is expected to cost around £330,000 in the 2003–04 financial year, excluding staff costs.

Cricket Tour (Zimbabwe)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will instruct the England and Wales Cricket Board not to proceed with its planned tour of Zimbabwe this year.

Richard Caborn: The decision to tour in Zimbabwe is entirely a matter for the ECB. There are no powers for the Government to intervene in any way. However, because of the deteriorating political and human rights situation in the country, I do not support the tour, in the same way that I would not support any activity capable of being used by the Mugabe regime for propaganda purposes.

National Lottery

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Heritage Lottery funding has been awarded in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many projects were awarded funding.

Estelle Morris: These figures have been supplied by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Both tables have figures for each London borough, in each of the last five financial years. The figure in brackets is the number of decisions made.
	
		Table (a): Lottery funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, (excluding awards for all grants) -- £
		
			 Local authority 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 506,900 (3) Nil 23,000 (2) 620,800 (2) 464,000 (1) 49,700 (1) 
			 Barnet Nil Nil 4,847,600 (4)  458,600 (2) 24,500 (1) 
			 Bexley Nil Nil 126,600 (3) 15,600 (1) 143,000 (3) 45,000 (1) 
			 Brent Nil Nil 224,600 (4) 872,000 (2) 129,900 (6) 26,800 (2) 
			 Bromley 650,675 (2) Nil 615,100 (3) Nil Nil 89,500 (2) 
			 Camden 53,200 (1) 1,342,020 (5) 398,800 (9) 4,913,300 (18) 6,152,740 (19) 8,201,200 (18) 
			 City of London 392,000 (3) 243,000 (1) 149,500 (1) 39,800 (7) 498,300 (3) 99,934 (3) 
			 Croydon 29,000 (1) 61,800 (1) 290,100 (2) 48,700 (3) 94,800 (2) 66,700 (3) 
			 Ealing 139,000 (1)  239,100 (5) 174,700 (4)  22,400 (1) 
			 Enfield 2,400,700 (3) 95,546 (2) 126,200 (3) 343,000 (1) 3,800 (1) Nil 
			 Greenwich 1,698,000 (4) 184,200 (2) 10,891,600 (9) 221,100 (3) 460,500 (3) 437,400 (4) 
			 Hackney 992,400 (3) 1,612,800 (6) 4,094,800 (7) 617,700 (10) 5,240,450 (7) 954,600 (5) 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham Nil Nil 46,900 (1) 25,000 (2) 361,400 (6) 102,300 (4) 
			 Haringey Nil Nil 226,500 (5) 2,862,750 (4) 177,400 (3) 73,000 (3) 
			 Harrow 628,600 (2) Nil 15,700 (1) Nil 100,500 (2) 50,000 (1) 
			 Havering Nil Nil 335,000 (1) Nil Nil 50,000 (1) 
			 Hillingdon Nil Nil 24,400 (1) 57,300 (3) 48,600 (1) Nil 
			 Hounslow 618,000 (1) Nil 361,200 (3) 177,400 (4) 173,100 (5) 100,000 (2) 
			 Islington 3,503,000 (3) 595,200 (3) 595,000 (6) 2,674,900 (7) 615,732 (11) 204,800 (6) 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 15,389,920 (4) 100,900 (2) 341,900 (5) 1,140,020 (8) 4,074,400 (11) 15,359,200 (6) 
			 Kingston Upon Thames Nil Nil 31,300 (1) Nil Nil Nil 
			 Lambeth 488,000 (4) 877,300 (5) 543,500 (5) 122,500 (2) 15,045,400 (3) 73,700 (2) 
			 Lewisham 11,059,200 (4) 1,342,000 (1) 22,500 (1) 575,314 (4) 1,369,200 (3) 648,300 
			 Southwark 2,961,000 (4) Nil 1,269,600 (11) 28,900 (3) 2,821,200 (7) 651,600 (5) 
			 Sutton Nil Nil 36,900 (2) Nil Nil Nil 
			 Tower Hamlets 464,200 (8) 352,000 (3) 1,156,200 (9) 6,334,700 (10) 7,657,800 (16) 2,015,300 (13) 
			 Waltham Forest Nil 612,300 (2) 275,000 (1) 364,000 (2) 109,355 (3) 201,800 (5) 
			 Wandsworth 127,000 (1) 298,900 (2) 366,800 (4) 598,000 (2) 686,000 (3) 29,000 (1) 
			 Westminster 7,055,317 (16) 5,953,006 (20) 15,462,300 (11) 18,312,102 (20) 4,074,942 (15) 14,249,500 (16) 
			 Total 53,352,812 (92) 13,901,072 (58) 42,975,700 (123) 41,529,186 (128) 51,519,219 (148) 44,477,784 (121) 
		
	
	
		Table (b): Awards for all grants, that the Heritage Lottery Fund have made with other Distributing Bodies -- £
		
			 Local authority 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,635 (1) 13,635 (3) 16,199 (4) 4,600 (2) 6,616 (2) 
			 Barnet 3,500 (1) 19,996 (6) 5,000 (1) 10,941 (3) 6,523 (2) 
			 Bexley 6,579 (2) 12,154 (3) 8,690 (2) Nil 1,667 (1) 
			 Brent Nil 17,064 (4) 30,270 (7) 35,002 (8) 12,762 (3) 
			 Bromley 19,285 (7) 15,575 (5) 16,065 (5) 5,000 (1) 3,960 (1) 
			 Camden 5,000 (1) 64,284 (14) 4,980 (1) 35,707 (8) 17,979 (4) 
			 City of London Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 
			 Croydon 7,946 (2) 18,405 (4) 28,464 (7) 16,500 (4) 11,930 (4) 
			 Ealing 3,809 (1) 13,410 (3) 12,790 (3) 13,632 (3) 4,900 (1) 
			 Enfield 4,997 (1) 20,147 (5) 9,526 (3) 14,650 (3) 15,000 (3) 
			 Greenwich 18,728 (5) 28,813 (7) 24,955 (5) 14,616 (4) 22,622 (5) 
			 Hackney 4,670 (1) 8,600 (2) 60,005 (15) 35,969 (9) 29,460 (6) 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,500 (1) 9,850 (3) 4,950 (1) 2,000 (1) 2,230 (1) 
			 Haringey 6,710 (2) 20,320 (5) 14,671 (3) 38,655 (8) 9,250 (2) 
			 Harrow 2,980 (3) 23,771 (5) 5,000 (1) 13,142 (1) 19,370 (4) 
			 Havering 3,180 (2) 7,957 (3) 1,571 (1) 10,175(3) 3,850 (1) 
			 Hillingdon 2,500 (1) 8,239 (2) 9,876 (2) 3,650 (1) 9,400 (2) 
			 Hounslow 3,213 (1) 18,106 (4) 19,686 (5) Nil 9,950 (2) 
			 Islington 1,5188 (4) 40,965 (11) 18,800 (4) 18,769 (4) 9,030 (2) 
			 Kensington and Chelsea Nil 2,700 (1) 5,000 (1) 9,940 (2) Nil 
			 Kingston Upon Thames 1,7675 (5) 3,688 (1) 4,947 (2) 10,000 (2) 9,999 (2) 
			 Lambeth 3,750 (1) 55,945(13) 43,684(10) 34,586 (10) 11,350 (3) 
			 Lewisham 9,363 (2) 9,610 (3) 23,890 (5) 29,261 (7) 4,530 (1) 
			 Merton 3,227 (1) 12,203 (3) Nil 4,250 (1) 9,350 (2) 
			 Newham 9,900 (2) 23,145 (5) 14,340 (3) 33,650 (7) 39,848 (8) 
			 Redbridge Nil 8,486 (2) Nil 21,923 (6) 10,000 (2) 
			 Richmond upon Thames 9,954 (2) 17,000 (4) Nil 10,715 (3) Nil 
			 Southwark 14,900 (3) 41,103 (11) 20,411 (5) 39,649 (9) 21,150 (5) 
			 Sutton 9,250 (2) 4,676 (1) 4,250 (1) 500 (1) 2,550 (1) 
			 Tower Hamlets 19,400 (3) 39,170 (9) 20,905 (5) 24,468 (5) 48,692 (10) 
			 Waltham Forest 18,006 (5) 21,764 (5) 19,754 (4) 36,284 (8) 4,281 (1) 
			 Wandsworth Nil 1,958 (1) Nil 6,040 (2) 3,400 (1) 
			 Westminster 10,000 (2) 10,000 (2) 20,261 (5) 10,000 (2) 9,820 (2) 
			 Total 236,845 (64) 571,636 (150) 468,940 (111) 544,274 (130) 371,469 (84)

North-West (Transport Links)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport about improving (a) rail and (b) road links to the North West to allow quicker access for tourists.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) works with the Department for Transport to ensure that tourism priorities are given due consideration in transport policy.
	On 1 April 2003, the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) took on strategic responsibility for tourism in the North West region. DCMS has issued guidance to all the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) on how tourism should be incorporated in their Corporate Plans and Regional Economic Strategies; this includes the importance of linking regional tourism strategies with regional transport strategies.
	I understand that the three northern RDAs have commissioned a 20-year transport vision for the North of England, due to be launched in April 2004. It will recommend a number of strategic transport projects that will seek to improve the economic performance of the North, including tourism in the North West.

North-West (Transport Links)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people travelled by (a) road and (b) rail to holiday in (i) the North West and (ii) Lancashire in 2003.

Richard Caborn: I understand from the North West Tourist Board that statistics on tourism performance for 2003 will not be available until the middle of the year. I will write to my hon. Friend again once the figures have been received.

Public Libraries

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimates she has made of public library spending in each year since 1990 on (a) information and communications technology equipment, (b) building renovations, (c) book stocks and (d) audio-visual material stocks; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: This information is not held centrally. However, information about expenditure on libraries, including expenditure on book and audio-visual material stocks is contained in the annual Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Public Library Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Remembrance Services

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how much has been allocated from the New Opportunities Fund to fund travel expenses of ex-servicemen and women wanting to travel to remembrance services in each year since its introduction;
	(2)  for how long the New Opportunities Fund has provided travel expenses to ex-servicemen and women wanting to attend remembrance services in (a) the UK and (b) Europe;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the provision of financial aid through the New Opportunities Fund to help ex-servicemen and women travel to remembrance services;
	(4)  what criteria were used when deciding whether individual servicemen and women are entitled to benefit from the funding of their travel expenses to remembrance services by the New Opportunities Fund;
	(5)  how many servicemen and women have benefited from the funding of travel expenses to remembrance services by the New Opportunities Fund in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Estelle Morris: The New Opportunities Fund launched its Heroes Return scheme on 9 February 2004. This scheme is providing £10 million funding for Second World War veterans their wives or husbands, widows or widowers, and, where required, carers to visit the overseas areas where the veterans saw active service. The main criterion is that ex-servicemen and women saw active service with or alongside the British Armed Forces in the Second World War. Further details on the Heroes Return can be obtained from the Veterans Agency on 0800 169 2277.
	A second scheme, Home Front Recall, will be launched later in the spring. This will provide funding projects and events in the UK for veterans and others within the broader community to commemorate the events leading to the end of the Second World War. More details of how this scheme will operate will be available when it is launched.
	The New Opportunities Fund has not previously operated a scheme in relation to veterans, but the National Lottery as a whole has provided over £3 million of funding to veterans and veterans organisations since 1995.

Remembrance Services

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether ex-servicemen and women from (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Wales and (d) England are entitled to equal financial aid through the New Opportunities Fund to travel to remembrance services in (i) the UK and (ii) Europe.

Estelle Morris: On (i), the New Opportunities Fund will shortly be launching its Home Front Recall scheme, which will fund the costs of commemorative projects and events in the UK to mark the events that led to the end of the second world war. Details of the application process for grants will be announced when the scheme is launched later in the spring, but it will be a UK-wide scheme providing funding in all four UK countries.
	On (ii), the New Opportunities Fund launched its Heroes Return scheme in February 2004. This scheme provides funding for second world war veterans, their wives or husbands, widows or widowers, and, where required, carers to visit the areas in Europe (and, indeed, other parts of the world) where the veterans saw active service. It is a UK-wide scheme and veterans from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England are entitled to equal financial assistance.

Remembrance Services

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she received from ex-servicemen and women during the creation of the initiative by the New Opportunities Fund to fund their travel expenses to remembrance services.

Estelle Morris: The New Opportunities Fund (NOF), as part of its role in developing the Heroes Return scheme, has discussed the scheme widely with veterans and veterans' organisations. In particular, the fund has worked closely with the Confederation of British Service and Ex-service Organisations (COBSEO), which is the representative body for the UK's veterans' organisations, since the Heroes Return scheme was first proposed. In addition, the fund has arranged meetings with many of the major veterans organisations, such as the Royal British Legion. COBSEO and NOF are currently running seminars across the UK to explain the nature of the Heroes Return scheme directly to a large number of veterans' organisations.

S4C

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to complete the review of the funding for S4C.

Tessa Jowell: Following a request from the S4C Authority, I have commissioned an independent review of S4C, to be carried out by Roger Laughton, Head of Bournemouth University Media School. He will be assisted by Meurig Royles as Welsh language assessor. I have asked Mr. Laughton to report back to me at the beginning of May.

Tourism Prospectus

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department expects to release the Tourism Prospectus announced on 17 November 2003.

Richard Caborn: It is anticipated that the Prospectus will be released by the early summer. The first round of consultation last year produced a number of valuable contributions from stakeholders. These have been reflected in a new draft, which will be sent out for final stakeholder consultation in the next few weeks. The Prospectus will be an agreed statement of actions and responsibilities between the major players in tourism, both in the public and private sectors.

Weymouth Transmitter

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Weymouth transmitter will be upgraded.

Estelle Morris: Broadcasters, through contracts with transmission operators, are responsible for maintaining the terrestrial network. But until the analogue signals are turned off, there will not be enough frequencies available to enable all the transmitters to carry digital terrestrial services. We believe that digital switchover could be achieved between 2006 and 2010, subject to our affordability and availability criteria being met.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Cancer

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have died from cancer in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Ian Pearson: The following table gives the number of deaths registered in Northern Ireland each year from 1993 to 2002 caused by "malignant neoplasms" 1 .
	1 Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 (2001–2002) and the Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 140–208 (1993–2000).
	
		Number of registered deaths by year in Northern Ireland caused by "malignant neoplasms"
		
			  Deaths 
		
		
			 1993 3,624 
			 1994 3,595 
			 1995 3,491 
			 1996 3,623 
			 1997 3,589 
			 1998 3,648 
			 1999 3,552 
			 2000 3,541 
			 2001 3,696 
			 2002 3,652

Citizenship Ceremonies

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether citizenship ceremonies will take place in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: Yes, the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 applies to all parts of the United Kingdom.

Alternative Power Sources

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent progress has been made in the development of alternative power sources in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: During the past year, the ability of the Northern Ireland electricity system to accommodate a broad range of renewable energy generation has been fully assessed, as has the potential for generating electricity from tidal streams in the waters around Northern Ireland.
	Renewable energy generation connected to the Northern Ireland grid increased from 45 megawatts in 2002 to 86 megawatts in 2003. All of this increase was wind based, although important projects using wood waste (five megawatts) and landfill gas (four megawatts) will be completed during 2004.
	The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is currently assessing the economic potential of biomass for energy generation in Northern Ireland and will report its conclusions in the autumn.
	I intend to support the development of renewable energy by introducing a Renewable Obligation from April 2005 and I will be consulting shortly on the draft scheme of operation and legislation for the Obligation.

Assembly Deputy Speakers

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) role and (b) cost of the deputy speakers of the Northern Ireland Assembly has been since suspension.

Paul Murphy: The status of the Deputy Speakers, under Section 39 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, has not been affected by suspension but, since they have not been required to exercise any statutory functions, they have not received any payment as Deputy Speakers.

Assets Recovery Agency

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been recovered by the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland from people associated with (a) Loyalist paramilitaries and (b) Republican paramilitaries since its creation.

Jane Kennedy: Currently 24 cases are under active investigation by the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland with a total asset value of over £8 million. The agency has frozen assets in a total of four cases and adopted a further two cases for taxation. These cases involve around £2.7 million of assets. The cases cover the whole range of organised crime among all groupings and areas across Northern Ireland.

Belfast City Airport

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will report the outcome of the review into the current planning agreement affecting Belfast City airport; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: While Belfast City airport has formally requested a review of the current planning agreement, Planning Service has not yet been advised of what changes to the agreement they are proposing. However, to move this issue forward a meeting with representatives of the City airport has been scheduled for 10 March 2004.
	I am, therefore, not yet in a position to advise when the outcome of such a review will be known.

Disability Discrimination

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend provisions against discrimination against people on grounds of disability.

John Spellar: We are committed to the elimination of discrimination against disabled people in Northern Ireland and are continuing to build on the significant impact made by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). We intend to extend the DDA to provide further protection for people with disabilities.
	New Regulations, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004, will extend and improve protection for disabled people in the field of employment and vocational training from 1 October 2004.
	A number of measures in relation to transport will extend protection for disabled people in Northern Ireland. The Department of the Environment intends to begin consultation in April 2004 on proposals to implement the Government's commitment on making (public hire) taxis accessible to disabled people.
	The Department of the Environment also intends to extend provisions relating to the carrying of guide dogs, hearing dogs and other prescribed categories of dogs to licensed drivers of private hire vehicles in mid 2004.
	The Northern Ireland Executive agreed in principle to proceed to removal of the transport exemption in Northern Ireland. It is proposed to issue a Northern Ireland consultation document on the removal of the exemption based on the consultation by the Department for Transport in Great Britain by May 2004.
	In education, Special Educational Needs and Disability legislation, which will effectively extend the provisions of the DDA to education in Northern Ireland, is in preparation and is expected to be made later this year.
	Finally, the single Equality Bill which will harmonise (extending and updating where appropriate) existing anti-discrimination legislation in Northern Ireland, including that relating to disability, will be the subject of a Green Paper public consultation in the spring.
	By extending the legislation in these ways we will strengthen and improve civil rights for disabled people.

Government Records

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which documents are held by his office written by (a) P. H. Pearse, (b) Thomas J. Clarke, (c) Thomas Macdonagh, (d) Edward Daly, (e) William Pearse, (f) Michael O'Hanrahan, (g) Joseph Mary Plunkett, (h) John MacBride, (i) Sean Heuston, (j) Michael Mallin, (k) Eamonn Ceannt, (l) Con Colbert, (m) Thomas Kent, (n) Sean MacDiarmada, (o) James Connolly and (p) Sir Roger Casement.

Paul Murphy: It is not possible to identify documents, which may have been written by the names listed, without detailed research covering a large number of documents. A full answer could therefore be provided only to the hon. Member at disproportionate cost. Government records are normally transferred to the National Archives after 30 years and information on these records can be accessed through its website at: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Electronic Voting

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to bring forward proposals to amend legislation to enable the piloting of electronic counting of votes in (a) local council, (b) Assembly and (c) Westminster elections in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: As I indicated in my reply of 15 December to the hon. Lady, Official Report, column 737W, the Government is interested in hearing views from interest parties on ensuring that election counts are as efficient and effective as possible. I am aware that the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is looking at the issue of electronic counting.

Fisheries

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in introducing transitional aid for Northern Ireland fishermen affected by this year's sea closures; and if he will make a statement on the timescale for aid.

Ian Pearson: A transitional aid scheme has been drawn up in consultation with the local industry and is currently under consideration by the European Commission. My officials are pressing the Commission for their views, but I am not able to judge when I shall be in a position to announce the launch of the scheme.

GM Crops

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his Department's policy is on the growing of genetically modified crops in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Department of the Environment is the competent authority within the UK regulatory system for the control of the deliberate release and marketing of genetically modified crops in Northern Ireland. The Department deals with applications to grow GM crops on a case-by-case basis and decisions are taken following advice received from the UK's statutory advisory body, the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment. There are currently no applications for GM trials or commercial growing in Northern Ireland.
	Northern Ireland Ministers are working closely with their counterparts in the rest of the UK, in considering the overall policy for genetic modification, based on the available evidence following the results of the farmscale trials and the outcome of the recent GM dialogue, and intend to set out their conclusions shortly.

Killyleagh Development

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of Environment intends to make a statement on the proposed Gocean development in Killyleagh.

Angela Smith: I have now received a detailed report on this proposal and intend to make a decision very soon.

MRSA

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance is available to (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) other healthcare personnel on preventing the spread of MRSA in hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Chief Medical Officer issued guidance to the Northern Ireland health service on MRSA and the management and control of hospital infection, and on resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents, in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Leaflets and pamphlets on MRSA are also available from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for patients and their relatives, and in the form of guidelines for residential and nursing home staff for the management of residents with MRSA. The Department issued an Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan in 2002 and is taking forward many of its recommendations. Professional journals such as that of the Hospital Infection Society are also a valuable resource for healthcare personnel in their efforts to prevent the spread of MRSA and similar nosocomial infections.

MRSA

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have died from MRSA in each hospital in Northern Ireland since 2000; what steps he is taking to reduce such deaths; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.
	Surveillance, which is an important tool in the fight against infection, is quantified in Northern Ireland by the reports of MRSA blood cultures published by the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre. Its second annual report, for 2002–03, indicated that the overall rate of patient episodes of MRSA bacteraemias in acute hospital trusts showed a slight reduction, from 218 to 228 over the previous year while 39.1 per cent. of staphylococcus aureus patient episodes were MRSA compared to 39 per cent. These figures compare favourably with England and Scotland.
	Considerable resources have been devoted to addressing nosocomial infections, including MRSA, in the last three years. Hand hygiene has been particularly encouraged in hospitals. Figures indicate that there are currently 15 per cent. fewer prescriptions being written for antibiotic drugs than there were in 1998.

Northern Ireland Assembly Commission

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) role, (b) composition and (c) budget of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission has been since suspension.

Paul Murphy: Although the membership of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission remained unchanged following suspension, the provisions of paragraph 8 of the Schedule to the Northern Ireland Act 2000 prevent the Assembly Commission from meeting and transfer the Assembly Commission's functions to me, as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The Assembly Commission has therefore had no role or budget since suspension.

Northern Ireland Electricity

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria were used to decide whether to (a) purchase and (b) dispose of Northern Ireland Electricity lands at Camlough, Co.Armagh in relation to the aborted pump storage of electricity generation project.

Ian Pearson: The lands were vested in the early 1970s to facilitate the intended development by the former Electricity Board for Northern Ireland of a pump storage electricity generation project. The compensation paid to the landowners was based on the assessed open market value of the lands at that time.
	Since the project did not proceed, the lands are being disposed of by Northern Ireland Electricity plc in accordance with a Disposal Strategy drawn up by the company and approved by the then Electricity Regulator under the terms of a formal Consent in 1997. The lands have been offered back to their original owners or their successors in title at the prices originally paid.

Paramilitary Activities

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the involvement of the (a) Provisional IRA, (b) INLA, (c) Real IRA, (d) UDA, (e) UVF and (f) LVF in (i) punishment beatings, (ii) drug trafficking and dealing, (iii) intelligence gathering and (iv) violence.

Jane Kennedy: Both Loyalist and Republican paramilitary groups have been involved in paramilitary style attacks, intelligence gathering and violence. Paramilitaries have also been involved in drug trafficking and dealing. The Government do not comment on specific intelligence matters. It is now time for all paramilitary groupings to bring their activities to a complete and permanent end.

Police (North Belfast)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police vehicles were assigned for patrol in North Belfast in each year since 1996.

Jane Kennedy: The number of vehicles deployed on a daily basis within Northern Ireland (previously the three Sub-Divisions of Antrim Road/North Street/Tennent Street) over the years in question were:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1996 13 vehicles—10 Sub-Divisional Mobile Patrols and three Neighbourhood Patrols 
			 1997 13 vehicles—10 Sub-Divisional Mobile Patrols and three Neighbourhood Patrols 
			 1998 13 vehicles—10 Sub-Divisional Mobile Patrols and three Neighbourhood Patrols 
			 1999 13 vehicles—10 Sub-Divisional Mobile Patrols and three Neighbourhood Patrols 
			 2000 13 vehicles—10 Sub-Divisional Mobile Patrols and three Neighbourhood Patrols 
			 2001 11 vehicles—Eight District Mobile Patrols and three Neighbourhood Patrols 
			 2002 11 vehicles—Eight District Mobile Patrols and three Neighbourhood Patrols 
			 2003 11 vehicles—Six Response Policing Patrols and five Sector Policing Patrols

Police Ombudsman's Office

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what powers of arrest officers from the Police Ombudsman's Office of Northern Ireland have over civilians.

Jane Kennedy: The Police and Criminal Evidence (Application to Police Ombudsman) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000 provides that certain powers set out in the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, including some general powers of arrest, will apply in relation to formal investigations by the Ombudsman under section 56 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998. In addition, section 56(3) of that Act gives certain officers of the Ombudsman, for the purpose of conducting or assisting in the conduct of a formal investigation, the powers and privileges of a constable and these would include a power to arrest civilians.

Power Cuts

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unexpected power cuts there were in Northern Ireland in the last three years for which figures are available; what the cause was in each case; and what steps he is taking to secure the continuity of the power supply in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: The following table gives a breakdown of the unexpected power cuts recorded on the NIE network between 2001 and 2003. It does not distinguish between minor cuts of very short duration and more extensive power failures.
	
		Unexpected power cuts recorded on the NIE network
		
			 Direct Cause of power cut 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Weather and environment 2,012 1,614 1,516 
			 Ageing, wear and tear NIE equipment 2,001 2,072 1,753 
			 Third party 1,439 1,387 1,213 
			 Vandalism 118 112 120 
			 Transient faults 2,601 2,526 2,078 
			 Other faults (birds, animals, manufacturing faults etc.) 215 211 222 
			 Total 8,386 7,922 6,902 
		
	
	I am satisfied that both the generation and supply of electricity in Northern Ireland are adequate to meet expected demand for at least the next five years.
	The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) works closely with the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation (NIAER) and the industry to ensure continuity of supply through a variety of measures. These include extensive investment in the transmission and distribution network to ensure that there is minimum disruption of power supplies due to network related problems. Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) has invested some £418 million in the period 1998 to 2003 and this has contributed to a significant reduction in the incidence of power cuts related to network ageing, wear and tear, transient faults and to adverse weather conditions.
	European Directive 2003/54/EC Schedule 4 requires member states to monitor security of supply issues, reporting every two years to the Commission on findings and measures taken to address problems. Such monitoring is currently the joint responsibility of DETI and the NIAER.

Safety Strategy (Older People)

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the Community Safety Strategy for Older People.

Paul Murphy: A draft Community Safety Strategy for Older People is currently being completed and will be issued for consultation later this month.Community safety and the removal of the fear of crime from older people is a central issue within the Community Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland, and the focus of the strategy being drafted.
	Following a period of consultation, the Strategy will begin to be implemented later this year.

Sign Language

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce interpreter training in Northern Ireland for those seeking to learn sign language.

Jane Kennedy: A programme to train Sign Language Interpreters was introduced in Northern Ireland in 1999 with funding from the European Social Fund and the Department for Employment and Learning. The programme—the Sign Language Interpreters Programme (SLIP)—was initiated by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). A number of Further Education Colleges also provide training in sign language, below interpreter level.

Sign Language

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the case for providing signing to accommodate deaf people in any new Northern Ireland assembly.

Paul Murphy: Any assessment for the provision of facilities for any new Northern Ireland Assembly, including signing to accommodate deaf people, is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission upon restoration.

Sinn Fein

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2004, Official Report, column 1163W, what evidence he has collated on the involvement of Sinn Fein in criminal activity.

Jane Kennedy: The investigation and collation of evidence is a matter for the Chief Constable in the first instance. He will pursue that evidence wherever it leads and will take action where there is a case to answer, through the judicial process.

Slow Driving

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals have been penalised for slow driving in each of the last five years.

Paul Murphy: The Chief Constable has advised me that there is no specific offence of slow driving. However, depending on the circumstances, the driver concerned may commit an offence of careless driving.

Speeding

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many motorists in Northern Ireland were convicted of speed-related offences in each police district in the last five years for which figures are available as a result of being caught by a speed camera.

Paul Murphy: The Chief Constable has advised me that speed cameras are only operated by trained Road Policing Officers who are a regional resource and therefore not dedicated to a specific District Command Unit.
	During the past five years 72,093 individuals were detected exceeding the speed limit and were accordingly in receipt of a Notice of Intention to Prosecute.

Statutory Registration

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of administering the Statutory Registration Scheme in Northern Ireland was in the last year for which figures are available.

Ian Pearson: The cost of administering both the Statutory Certification Scheme and the Voluntary Classification Scheme in Northern Ireland by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board for the financial year 2002–03 was as follows:
	
		£000
		
			  Amount 
		
		
			 Salaries 216 
			 Staff expenses 28 
			 Cost of printing and establishment signs 9 
			   
			 Overheads apportioned as follows(20)  
			 Premises 29 
			 General office 31 
			 Staff development 5 
			 Total gross costs 318 
			 Less income from both schemes 176 
			 Total net cost 142 
		
	
	(20) Based on eight staff in unit and total staff of 12 in NITB.
	The split of staff time would approximate to 40 per cent. to Statutory Certification Scheme and 60 per cent. to Voluntary Classification Scheme resulting in a net overall expense of running the Statutory Certification Scheme of £57,000 for the financial year 2002–03.

Union Flag

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the current arrangements are for the flying of the Union flag on buildings owned or used by each Department and its constituent agencies in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: The current arrangements for flying the Union flag and other flags from Government buildings in Northern Ireland are set out in the Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000.

Westminster Hall

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to have senior Ministers reply to debates in Westminster Hall.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to this question today by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House of Commons.

Unionist Paramilitaries

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what types of crime were directly related to the activities of Unionist paramilitary groups in the last 12 months for which records are available.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is as follows.
	
		Security Situation Statistics for Northern Ireland -- 1February 2003—31January 2004
		
			 Types of crime (21)By Loyalists 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Number of deaths as a result of the security situation(22) 7 
			 Number of shooting incidents 135 
			 Number of bombing incidents(23) 41 
			 Number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults 110 
			 Number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings 107 
		
	
	(21) Attribution is as perceived by PSNI based on the information available.
	(22) Includes all deaths due to the security situation.
	(23) An individual bombing incident may involve one or more explosive devices. Incidents recorded include explosion and defusings. Incidents involving hoax devices, petrol bombings or incendiaries are excluded.
	Note
	Statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.

Workforce (Religious Designations)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the composition of the monitored full-time workforce (11+) was, broken down by religious designation in (a) 1992 and (b) 2002; and if he will publish this information.

John Spellar: Information regarding the composition of the monitored full-time workforce, broken down by religious designation in 1992 and 2002 is as follows:
	
		
			 Protestant Roman Catholic Non-determined Total 
		
		
			 1992
			 235,330 132,694 18,051 386,075 
			 (60.9 per cent.) (34.4 per cent.) (4.7 per cent.) — 
			 2002
			 230,804 154,218 18,822 403,844 
			 (57.2 per cent.) (38.2 per cent.) (4.7 per cent.) — 
		
	
	Source:
	Fair Employment Commission Monitoring Report (No. 3) 1992.
	Equality Commission for Northern Ireland Monitoring Report (No. 13) 2002.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with (a) the International Security Assistance Force, (b) NATO, (c) the UN Secretary General's Special Representative to Afghanistan, (d) the EU's Special Representative to Afghanistan and (e) other organisations and governmental representatives based in Afghanistan regarding the need to increase the number of international troops on the ground in Afghanistan in the build up to and carrying out of elections in Afghanistan.

Jack Straw: NATO took over leadership of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in August 2003. The UK has been closely involved with other allies in discussions in NATO of plans for the expansion of ISAF beyond Kabul. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Defence and I met the NATO Secretary-General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, in London on 12 February 2004; our discussions included Afghanistan.
	The UK regularly discusses preparations for elections with the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative, Jean Arnault, with the EU Special Representative, Francesc Vendrell, and with the Afghan transitional administration. We also meet regularly in Kabul and London with non-governmental organisations working in Afghanistan to discuss a wide range of issues, including security and election preparations. I visited Kabul on 5 March where I had discussions with President Karzai, Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Monsieur Arnault and others.

Asbestos

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the buildings occupied by his staff, including agencies, which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys.

Bill Rammell: Completed asbestos surveys of buildings occupied by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK showed that no essential remedial or removal works were required. The next full survey is not due until 2012. In view of this no budget has been set aside for essential work.
	None the less, budgets for interim local surveys during maintenance and project work will be allocated for 2004 and 2005. These are expected to be in the region of £20,000 pa for reactive maintenance, and £50,000 pa for project works.

Asbestos

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002.

Bill Rammell: Almost all of the building space occupied by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK was surveyed prior to the implementation of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. Surveys of the remaining space are due to be completed before May 2004.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the International Confederation of Trade Unions about the use of forced labour in Burma.

Mike O'Brien: I have had no discussions with the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICFTU) on this issue. I am concerned about the use of forced labour in Burma. The ICFTU co-operates closely with the International Labour Organisation (ILO). We fully support the ILO and call upon the Burmese authorities to end permanently the use of forced labour.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conditions for the people living in relocation or concentration camps in areas of Burma controlled by the State Peace and Development Council.

Mike O'Brien: I am concerned about the reported poor condition of relocation camps in Burma. Most of the major relocation sites are in areas where there is still ongoing fighting, so accurate estimates and independent assessment of the conditions (or numbers involved) is not possible. From the information that we have, conditions in most of the camps are reported to be very poor—inadequate housing, medical and educational facilities. Separation of villagers from their farmlands, and lack of alternative land in or near the camps, also causes great hardship.
	In areas of Karenni State where there are now cease-fires some of the former relocation sites have been largely abandoned as people have returned to their villages. Some of those remaining, particularly where the relocation site is on the edge of a town, do so (semi) voluntarily because educational and other opportunities in the town are actually better than in their village.
	We provide support to the United Nation High Commission for Refugees who are working to improve the conditions in camps.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communication there has been between (a) his Department, (b) the European Union and (c) the United Nations and Aung San Suu Kyi since May 2003.

Mike O'Brien: Since May 2003, the Burmese regime has repeatedly rejected my attempts to speak to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The regime has also failed to respond to repeated requests by our ambassador to call on her. The UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, has met Aurig San Suu Kyi on three separate occasions since May 2003, most recently on 2 March 2004. The UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro, has seen Aung San Suu Kyi once since May 2003.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of (a) extra-judicial killings and (b) forced labour in the ethnic minority states of Burma since January.

Mike O'Brien: I am concerned about reports of extra-judicial killings and forced labour in the ethnic minority states of Burma since January. These issues and other human rights violations have been highlighted by successive UK co-sponsored UN Resolutions, most recently at the UN General Assembly in December 2003. These issues will remain a strong focus for the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro and UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail. We will work to ensure that these issues are addressed at the UN Commission on Human Rights in April 2004.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of land confiscation by the Burmese Government; and what representations he has made about it.

Mike O'Brien: I am concerned about reports of land confiscation by the Burmese Government. The confiscation of land by armed forces and other human rights violations have been highlighted by successive UK co-sponsored UN Resolutions, most recently at the UN General Assembly in December 2003. These issues will remain a strong focus for the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro and UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Burma, Tan Sri Razali Ismail. We will work to ensure that these issues are addressed at the UN Commission on Human Rights in April 2004.

Colombia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Colombia concerning arrests and detention of trade union leaders and human rights activists in Colombia; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Our embassy in Bogota make regular representations to the Colombian authorities on issues relating to human rights concerns. Our ambassador called on the Vice President of Colombia on 4 March and raised a number of concerns on human rights, trades unionist issues and tackling collusion with paramilitarism in Colombia. We are also seeking information from the Colombian Government on the case of Luz Perly Cordoba of the Colombian agricultural workers' union Fensuagro, who has recently been reportedly detained. I continue to raise relevant concerns in my own contacts with Colombian Ministers.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter to him dated 26 January from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Mosammat Meherun Nessa Begum.

Chris Mullin: On 1 March my right hon. Friend's letter of 26 January was transferred to the Home Office for reply as the content concerned a Home Office matter.

Cyprus

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government will offer (a) Greek Cypriot and (b) Turkish Cypriot controlled areas of Cyprus for the monitoring of a referendum on a settlement.

Denis MacShane: The British High Commission in Nicosia is working closely with the UN to ensure that work on the UN Secretary General's proposals is completed on time for the referendums in April. We are discussing with the UN what assistance the UK can best offer to ensure the smooth conduct of those referendums.

Cyprus

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) legal and (b) constitutional changes will be made to the guarantor powers and obligations for the UK in relation to Cyprus following its accession to the EU.

Denis MacShane: The Treaty of Guarantee will remain in force following Cyprus's accession whether or not there is a settlement. Until there is a settlement the UK's responsibilities as a Guarantor Power will remain unchanged. In the event of a settlement on the basis of the Annan Plan the Treaty of Guarantee will be amended to cover not only the new United Cyprus Republic but also the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot constituent states.

Cyprus

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what trading and movement of goods rules will apply to arrangements between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot controlled areas of Cyprus after accession to the EU (a) in the event of a solution to the situation in Cyprus and (b) if a solution is not achieved.

Denis MacShane: The European Commission is currently considering the necessary arrangements for each scenario, but is unlikely to finalise these arrangements until the outcome of the present negotiations is clear. We remain in close contact with the Commission on these and other issues related to a Cyprus settlement.

Cyprus

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Secretary-General of the UN that his role in deciding deadlock points in the Cyprus Settlement Plan must be strictly restricted to the basis of the plan and not involve issues that are outside the plan.

Denis MacShane: In his statement in New York on 13 February the UN Secretary-General said
	"As a final resort, in the event of a continuing and persistent deadlock, the parties have invited the Secretary-General to use his discretion to finalise the text to be submitted to referenda on the basis of his plan. I therefore see no scope for covering issues outwith the basis of the plan".
	The UK believes that the Annan Plan offers the only realistic basis for a solution to the Cyprus problem.

Cyprus

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of talks taking place to reunify Cyprus.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Mr. Hawkins) on 27 February 2004, Official Report, column 580W, and also to the reply my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Flook) in the House on 2 March 2004, Official Report, column 748. We will keep the House informed as matters progress.

Departmental Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of the cost to his Department of (a) the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, (b) the British Council and (c) British Trade International for each year from 1996–97 to 2005–06 (planned); and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is shown in the following table:
	
		£ million
		
			  (a) Westminster Foundation for Democracy(24) (b) British Council(25) (c) UK Trade and Investment(26) 
		
		
			 Outturn
			 1996–97 2.5 102.4 — 
			 1997–98 2.7 96.2 — 
			 1998–99 3.0 97.1 — 
			 1999–2000 4.0 133.3 — 
			 2000–01 4.2 137.7 155.8 
			 2001–02 4.3 145.0 136.3 
			 2002–03 4.2 151.5 141.2 
			 
			 Budget
			 2003–04 4.1 165.5 141.2 
			 
			 Plan
			 2004–05 4.1 169.6 142.2 
			 2005–06 n/a 179.6 144.2 
		
	
	(24) A full review of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) will take place in summer 2004. This will determine the level of grant-in-aid WFD will receive in 2005–06 and beyond.
	(25) From 1999–2000 the FCO assumed responsibility for DFID's share of grant-in-aid to the British Council. A machinery of government transfer from DFID to the FCO covered this increase in expenditure.
	(26) British Trade International (BTI) (now UK Trade and Investment) was established in May 1999. 2000–01 is the first full year for which we have a separate figure for BTI.
	Note:
	The figures for 2004–05 and 2005–06 indicate current spending plans. All future resource allocations may be subject to review in the light of changing foreign policy priorities. 2005–06 spending plans will be covered by the 2004 Spending Review.

EU (Internal Migration)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with EC accession states on internal migration within the EU.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has informed his colleagues in the 10 accession countries of the UK's policy on the free movement of workers in the EU after 1 May 2004, as set out by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in his statement to the House on 23 February 2004, Official Report, columns 23–25.

Haiti

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government took to support efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Haiti.

Bill Rammell: The UK, working alongside its EU partners, has been supporting the efforts of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the United Nations to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Haiti. The EU was present at CARICOM discussions with President Aristide in Kingston on 31 January, and on 21 February the EU took part in an international Mission, involving the US, Canada, France, OAS and CARICOM, which met Aristide and members of the opposition in Haiti.
	The UK supported UN Security Council Resolution 1529 which authorises the deployment of a Multi-National Interim Force. This force has restored some order to the Haitian capital and the resolution also declares the Security Council's readiness, within three months, to establish and deploy a UN stabilisation force, which will support the continuation of a peaceful and constitutional political process.

Haiti

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government have taken through their diplomatic mission in the Dominican Republic to influence the situation in Haiti.

Bill Rammell: The British Embassy in the Dominican Republic has just two UK-based staff, the ambassador and the consul. The ambassador has made regular trips to Haiti over the past 18 months, most recently visiting Port-au-Prince in January. Throughout this period he has kept in close touch with key players in Haiti, including the Organisation of American States, US, EU and French ambassadors and the Prime, Finance and Foreign Ministers. The embassy has excellent working relations with UK and other NGOs based in Haiti, and is working closely with Christian Aid in implementing a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Project Fund-supported project to reduce human rights abuses on the Haiti/Dominican Republic border.
	During the current crisis, the embassy managed to secure agreements to evacuate UK nationals on US, French and Canadian aeroplanes, and several UK nationals left the country under such arrangements.

Haiti

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on an international intervention in Haiti.

Bill Rammell: The UK voted for UN Security Council Resolution 1529 which authorised the deployment of a Multi-National Interim Force to Haiti. This resolution, which was unanimously adopted, also declares the Security Council's readiness, within three months, to establish and deploy a UN stabilisation force that will support the continuation of a peaceful and constitutional political process.

Haiti

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK's position is in the UN Security Council discussions on Haiti.

Bill Rammell: The US and France, as members of the Friends of Haiti Group, lead discussions on Haiti in the Security Council. The Friends of Haiti tabled Security Council Resolution 1529 on 29 February, which the UK supported, and was unanimously adopted. This resolution authorises the immediate deployment of a Multi-National Interim Force, and declares the Security Council's readiness, within three months, to establish and deploy a UN stabilisation force that will support the continuation of a peaceful and constitutional political process.
	The UK will continue to take an active part in Security Council discussions on Haiti over the coming months as details of the Stabilisation Force are agreed and remains fully supportive of the efforts of those more closely involved in achieving a political solution to the crisis in Haiti.

Hong Kong

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of democracy in Hong Kong; and what recent discussions have taken place with China on Hong Kong.

Bill Rammell: The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), a Chinese law which was promulgated in Beijing in April 1990, states that the methods for selecting the chief executive and forming the Legislative Council
	"shall be specified in the light of the actual situation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress".
	The "ultimate aim" is the selection of the chief executive and election of all members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage.
	Our position is consistent: we hope to see early progress towards the Basic Law's ultimate aims of the selection of the chief executive and the election of all members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage, at a pace in line with the wishes of the people of Hong Kong. We most recently re-stated this position in the latest Report to Parliament on Hong Kong, which was published on 24 February (Cmnd 6125).
	Ministers and officials regularly discuss Hong Kong matters when meeting members of the Chinese and Hong Kong SAR Governments. I did so with Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui and with Hong Kong's Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa when I visited China and Hong Kong in December.

Internet Child Abuse

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives he has taken to tackle international internet child abuse.

Bill Rammell: Since 2002, in conjunction with the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, we have provided law enforcement agencies in 14 countries with specialised software, computers and training to detect paedophiles using internet chat rooms, and to target organised criminals who produce child pornography. Last year, we co-sponsored an international conference in the UK on combating on-line child abuse. We are co-sponsoring a follow-up conference this month. We are working with our G8 partners on the development and implementation of a strategy, including projects, to improve the exchange of information to combat on-line child abuse. This work includes outreach to non-G8 partners.

Iraq

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to safeguard Iraq's electricity infrastructure from vandalism; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Iraq's electrical infrastructure has been subject to looting for profit from the sale of copper and aluminium from transmission lines and pylons, and some sabotage attacks perpetrated by those intent on frustrating the reconstruction of Iraq.
	Significant operational measures are being taken to combat both crimes, and these are proving successful. Iraqis are involved through private contractors in guarding electricity lines and installations, and this has succeeded in preventing much damage being done. Steps are also being taken to increase patrolling, introduce air surveillance and ensure the rapid repair of damage when it occurs.

Nepal

Tony Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial support his Department has provided to Nepal in each year since 2000; and how much support it plans to provide in 2004.[R]

Mike O'Brien: In financial year 2000–01 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office provided in total £63,600 in financial support to Nepal; in 2001–02 this figure was £80,700; in 2002–03 £144,500, and in 2003–04 £59,400.

Recruitment

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of recruitment of civil servants for the Department was in each financial year since 1996–97, broken down by (a) delegated or contracted out recruitment procedures and (b) recruitment procedures carried out by the Department.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Cost of recruitment (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 995,293 
			 1998–99 1,622,811 
			 1999–2000 1,999,803 
			 2000–01 2,543,387 
			 2001–02 2,791,659 
			 2002–03 2,276,708 
			 2003–04 (To date) 1,341,832 
		
	
	The figures in the table include money spent on recruitment in its widest sense. This includes general marketing via careers fairs, as well as targeted marketing and newspaper advertising aimed at under-represented groups such as minority ethnic communities and women. Recruitment agencies are involved in most of our recruitment campaigns. A break down of the figures for money spent on contracted recruitment procedures and for money spent directly by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office over the period requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Serbia

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the decision by the Serbian Government to try war crime suspects before domestic courts in Serbia.

Denis MacShane: We welcome the establishment of a domestic war crimes court in Serbia. However, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) assessed that the Serbian national judiciary lacked the capacity to conduct fair war crimes trials in accordance with universally adopted standards. We welcome OSCE recommendations and urge the Serbian authorities to ensure effective domestic trials through adapting legislation and providing for the protection of victims and witnesses of war crimes. The first major trial, beginning in March, will be an important demonstration of the Serbian authorities' commitment to tackling war crimes allegedly committed by Serbian citizens. It is vital that the accused receive a fair trial and that justice is seen to be done.
	The transfer of lower level war crimes suspects for trial in domestic courts is an important part of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Completion Strategy. However such transfers can only take place where the Tribunal is satisfied that the trials will be conducted in accordance with universally adopted standards. In order for ICTY cases to be transferred to a domestic tribunal, Serbia must first co-operate fully with the ICTY and allow the domestic judiciary to work independently and impartially.
	We continue to urge the new Serbian government to fulfil the international obligation of full and complete co-operation with the ICTY. In order for Serbia and Montenegro to realise her European aspirations, Belgrade must assist in the apprehension and transfer of all ICTY indictees and allow the ICTY full access to documents and witnesses.

Sudan

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Sudanese Government regarding the situation in Darfur.

Chris Mullin: We have lobbied at the highest levels in Khartoum on this matter, and our ambassador in Khartoum has discussed the situation with the First Vice-President on a number of occasions in recent weeks. Through our embassy in Khartoum and the UK Special Representative for Sudan, we are in almost daily contact with the Government of Sudan and the various Darfur groups. The EU issued a statement on 25 February appealing to the parties to ensure the protection of the civilian population and to allow humanitarian access to all those in need.

Taliban

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current numeric strength of the former Taliban regime of Afghanistan in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Pakistan.

Mike O'Brien: It is not easy to distinguish former Taliban and their sympathisers from other groups hostile to the current political process in Afghanistan. We believe that at any given time the number of former Taliban sympathisers in Afghanistan and Pakistan is in the very low thousands. But the remoteness and geography of the Pakistani border region with Afghanistan, the difficulty of maintaining border controls, and the movement of people across the border makes it difficult to give an accurate assessment.

Taliban

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current level of co-operation between members of the Pakistani Army and members of the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Mike O'Brien: Pakistan is a key ally in the war against terror. We strongly support the efforts of the Pakistani Army to round up members of al-Qaeda and extreme elements of the former Taliban regime. The recent military operations into the formerly inaccessible tribal areas bordering Afghanistan are a good example of the commitment of the Pakistani Army in taking action against these groups.

Turkey

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) administration of justice and (b) protection of the rights of overseas investors in Turkey.

Denis MacShane: In its push to open accession negotiations with the European Union, Turkey continues to make determined efforts to improve the business environment for its overseas investors. This includes legal measures to simplify procedures for foreign investors and institutional reform to strengthen the rule of law.
	We are aware of a few specific cases where British investors have faced difficulties in Turkey and we have raised these with the Turkish authorities.
	Recent developments in Turkey include: a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) law passed in 2003; efforts to set up an FDI promotion agency; and, on 15 March in Istanbul, an Investors Council, chaired by the World Bank and the IMF, to give leading foreign investors in Turkey an opportunity to make recommendations to the Turkish authorities.

Turkey

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Turkish Government on the detention and imprisonment of Mr. Abdullah Ocalan.

Denis MacShane: We raised the subject of the detention of Mr. Ocalan with the Turkish State Minister responsible for Human Rights in February 1999 and sought assurances that he would receive a fair trial and that his physical safety would be assured. British embassy staff also attended the trial.
	Regarding his on-going imprisonment, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 5 March 2004, Official Report, column 1192W.
	We have not made representations to the Turkish Government regarding the imprisonment. We do, however, continue to monitor the situation closely, including through discussions with Mr. Ocalan's lawyer.

Turkey

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Turkish Government on the case of the detention of Leyla Zana, a Kurdish member of the Turkish Parliament.

Denis MacShane: We regularly raise the case of Leyla Zana and her fellow DEP, MPs at Ministerial and official level. I underlined the importance of speeding up progress and ensuring impartiality with Foreign Minister Gul during my visit to Turkey in January 2004. Our Ambassador has also raised the case with Justice Minister Cicek. British embassy officials attend trial hearings and maintain close contact with Leyla Zana's lawyer, whom I also met.

UN General Assembly Resolutions

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom voted on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 58/40 (L12) in the UN First Committee on 27 October 2003 on the prohibition of the dumping of radioactive waste, and combating the hazards of radioactive wastes used in radiological warfare; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The United Kingdom joined consensus on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 58/40 (LI2) in the UN First Committee on 27 October 2003 on the prohibition of the dumping of radioactive waste, and combating the hazards of radioactive wastes used in radiological warfare.
	On 12 March 2001 the UK ratified the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management which was negotiated under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The convention's primary objective is to achieve and maintain a high level of safety worldwide in spent fuel and radioactive waste management. It came into force on 18 June 2001. The UK's first national report, demonstrating our compliance with the convention, was provided to the IAEA in May 2003. National reports are subject to a process of peer review and are updated every three years.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Elections

Simon Hughes: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what steps the Commission is taking to improve voter turnout in June for (a) the London Assembly elections, (b) European elections, (c) Mayoral elections and (d) other local elections.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission has a duty under section 13 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to "promote public awareness of:
	(a) current electoral systems in the United Kingdom and any pending such systems, together with such matters connected with any such existing or pending systems as the Commission may determine;
	(b) current systems of local government and national government in the United Kingdom and any pending such systems; and
	(c) the institutions of the European Union."
	To this end, I understand from the Chairman of the Commission that it will be running a UK-wide voter awareness campaign, comprising TV and press advertising, leaflets distributed to public places, PR, and outreach work targeting young 'hard to reach' audiences. This activity will be supported by a national telephone call centre and an elections website, from which members of the public will be able to find out which elections are taking place in their area on 10 June, how to register, how to vote, and what roles and powers are held by each of the democratic institutions being elected. The website will also carry links to other sites of relevance to the June elections.

HEALTH

Abortion

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many girls under the age of 16 had abortions in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: The information is shown in the table.
	
		Abortions by age for girls aged 15 and under, residents of England and Wales, 1998–2002
		
			  Total 
		
		
			 1996 3,645 
			 1997 3,434 
			 1998 3,759 
			 1999 3,603 
			 2000 3,748 
			 2001 3,658 
			 2002 3,514 
		
	
	Source:
	Data provided by Department of Health, Statistical Division.

Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the national Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 5 March 2004
	The Government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England is due to be published and implemented from 2004, in accordance with the timetable set out in the NHS Plan. This strategy will set the future direction for the development of alcohol prevention and treatment for all groups in the population.

Benzodiazepines

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to clinicians on the prescribing of benzodiazepines over the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Committee on the Safety of Medicines' advice of 1988 has been reiterated in the "Drug Misuse and Dependence—Guidelines on Clinical Management" (1999) and in the "British National Formulary", which is sent to all doctors within the national health service biannually.
	The advice has been restated in the Chief Medical Officer's Update dated January 2004, which announced that the Department is planning to introduce instalment dispensing of benzodiazepines to minimise access to excessive doses.

Blood Glucose Test Strips

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to withdraw the free distribution of blood glucose test strips; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Blood glucose testing strips will remain available free of charge to those people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes whose condition is controlled by insulin or tablets. Those people who have type 2 diabetes that is controlled by diet alone are not exempt from National Health Service prescription charges on that basis.
	We have no plans to remove blood glucose testing strips form NHS prescriptions.

Breast Feeding

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research the Department has conducted on a potential link between decreasing breast feeding rates and increasing obesity rates among children.

Melanie Johnson: The Department has not commissioned any research directly on a potential link between decreasing breastfeeding rates and increasing obesity rates among children.
	Women in lower socio-economic groups (social class V) are more likely to be overweight or obese and they are less likely to breastfeed. Breastfeeding rates are increasing and the Infant Feeding Survey 2000 showed that there was a significant increase in the incidence of breastfeeding in social class V, from 50 per cent. in 1995 to 59 per cent. in 2000.
	The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy suggested in its report on the Scientific Review of the Welfare Food Scheme that breastfed infants are less likely to become overweight as children.

Cancer Treatment

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department has given to schools relating to the effects of sun exposure; and what assessment has been made of the take-up of such guidance.

Melanie Johnson: The 'SunSmart' campaign, run by Cancer Research UK and funded by the United Kingdom Health Departments, was launched in spring 2003. This launch phase of the campaign enabled new campaign messages to be disseminated to as wide an audience as possible and assisted in establishing the 'SunSmart' brand. Over 950,000-campaign information cards and 36,000 posters were distributed to general practitioners' surgeries, health promotion units, dermatologists and cinemas. Additionally, 350,000 specially designed postcards were distributed among secondary schools in the UK, reaching 40 per cent., of all 11 to 16-year-olds. 'SunSmart' is working with the Department for Education and Skills and teachers to develop guidelines to encourage schools to adopt their own 'SunSmart' policies and curricular activities.
	Sun awareness information for young people is also contained on the "Wired For Health" website at www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk as part of the Healthy Schools Programme. The Department also developed the 'SunSafe' web pages in March 2002, which were designed with children in mind on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/sunsafe.

Capital Projects

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from primary care trusts in the West Midlands about the new funding arrangements for capital projects.

Stephen Ladyman: Ministers have not received formal representations from primary care trusts (PCTs) in the West Midlands. However, officials in the Department have received written representations from South Worcestershire PCT and West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority.

Delayed Discharges

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 23 February 2004, Official Report, column 273W, on delayed discharges, what information on legal liabilities for reimbursement charges will be available in the future.

Stephen Ladyman: Data on the number of delayed discharges and the level of legal liabilities for reimbursement will be available in due course, once the data has been validated.

Dentistry

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many dentists providing treatment on the NHS were registered in East Devon in each of the past seven years;
	(2)  how many dental practices providing dental care in the NHS there were in East Devon in each of the past seven years.

Rosie Winterton: The tables show the number of National health service dentists on a head count basis and the number of practice addresses in North and East Devon Health Authority at September each year from 1997 to 2002. Following the health service re-organisation, figures for East Devon Primary Care Trust area, at September 2003, are given.
	This information covers dentists working in the general dental services (GDS), personal dental services (PDS) and salaried service of the GDS. Excluded are the community and hospital dental services.
	Dentists working in more than one dental service are included in each service, apart from dentists working in both PDS and GDS who are counted only once.
	
		National health service: Number of dentists at September each year
		
			  Health Authority North and East Devon Primary Care Trust East Devon 
		
		
			 1997 177 — 
			 1998 185 — 
			 1999 195 — 
			 2000 199 — 
			 2001 209 — 
			 2002 206 — 
			 2003 — 38 
		
	
	
		National health service: Number of dental practices at August each year
		
			  Health Authority North and East Devon Primary Care Trust East Devon 
		
		
			 1997 82 — 
			 1998 83 — 
			 1999 86 — 
			 2000 90 — 
			 2001 90 — 
			 2002 92 — 
			 2003 — 17

Dentistry

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the availability of NHS dentistry.

Rosie Winterton: We have provided new investment totalling £90 million to national health service dentistry over the last year. £59 million will support access, and strategic health authorities have been advised of their shares and are working with their primary care trusts (PCTs) to address access issues. £30 million is to support information technology and the balance of £1 million will support organisational development locally.
	A NHS support team is currently working with 16 PCTs where it is hardest to find a NHS dentist to develop plans to overcome the problems. The team is backed by £9 million support funds to enable these hard-pressed areas to increase access. These measures build on steps we have already taken to improve access to NHS dentistry, including the establishment of dental access centres.
	The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act gives new duties for PCTs to secure the provision of primary dental services. From April 2005, PCTs will directly manage provision, commissioning dental services from local practices. With these new responsibilities will go the financial resources currently held centrally, which by 2005–06 are expected to total nearly £1.5 billion.

Dentistry

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there are in the Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency.

Melanie Johnson: Information is not collected on a constituency basis but at primary care trust (PCT) level. Data for Blackpool PCT and Wyre PCT, as at 31 December 2003, is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Primary care trust General dental service (GDS) Personal dental service (PDS) 
		
		
			 Blackpool 46 1 
			 Wyre 40 — 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. PDS figure covers dentists not already working in the GDS.
	2. Dentists are free to work in more than one PCT. Therefore, dentists who do some work in this area but more in another PCT have not been included.
	3. Dentists in the GDS include principals, assistants and vocational dental practitioners. These figures are on a headcount basis rather than whole-time equivalent (wte) basis and therefore take no account of part-time working. In the CDS, the amount of time spent working in the national health service varies greatly, with a large proportion of dentists doing some private work. Dentists working solely in private dentistry are not covered by these figures.
	4. These figures exclude dentists working in the community dental service, hospital dental service and salaried service of the GDS.
	Source:
	Dental Practice Board.

Drug Misusers

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many UK drug addicts are on (a) subutex maintenance, (b) methadone maintenance and (c) naltraxone.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 9 February 2004
	The Department does not collect figures centrally on the number of drug misusers being maintained on subutex, methadone or naltrexone. However, the table represents the number of prescription items of Buprenorphine (Subutex), Methadone Hydrocloride and Naltrexone Hydrochloride (included in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.10, Substance Dependence) that were dispensed in the community in England in 2002.
	
		Thousand
		
			 BNF 4.10 Drugs used insubstance Number of prescription items dispensed in 2002 
		
		
			 Buprenorphine (Subutex) 164.3 
			 Methadone Hydrochloride 1,330.7 
			 Naltrexone Hydrochloride 21.9 
		
	
	This data covers drugs which are included in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.10, "Drugs used in substance dependence". The data excludes other Buprenorphine, Methadone and Naltrexone drugs that are contained in other BNF sections since they are prescribed for reasons other than substance dependence.
	The data excludes prescription items that are dispensed in hospitals or clinics. The Department does not have any information on the number of people who are prescribed these drugs. The information available is the number of prescription items that are dispensed in the community.

Drug Misusers

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made by strategic health authorities of (a) the facilities available for drug maintenance and withdrawal, (b) the availability of licensed prescribers for heroin addicts and (c) the incidence of heroin use.

Melanie Johnson: No formal assessment has been made by strategic health authorities of the three issues that the hon. Member raises.
	However, I am able to inform her that the National Treatment Agency has confirmed that all areas of England now have access to facilities for drug maintenance and withdrawal and that there are currently 123 practitioners in England licensed by the Home Office to prescribe heroin. For other substitute prescribing medications, no licence is required.

Drug Misusers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what research has been undertaken into the link between (a) suffering long-term memory loss and (b) other side effects from taking ecstasy;
	(2)  what research has been carried out into the long-term use of cannabis with relation to (a) loss of memory and (b) other side effects.

Melanie Johnson: There is a wide range of published studies that have reported the results of research into the side-effects of ecstasy and cannabis. The Department commissioned the National Addiction Centre to review the evidence regarding the harmful effects of drugs of abuse and this is published as the Department of Health document Dangerousness of drugs (2003). A copy of which is available in the Library.

Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the projected financial outturn for the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority for this financial year, broken down by county.

Rosie Winterton: Audited information on the financial position of national health service trusts will be published in their individual annual accounts. This data will be available centrally in the autumn. We have no plans to publish un-audited information.

Food Supplements Directive

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the European Union Directive on food supplements to come into force in the United Kingdom.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-West (Mr. Best), on 14 October 2003, Official Report, column 218W.

Gambling

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if the Government will incorporate responsibility for problem gambling under the auspices of the National Treatment Agency;
	(2)  what assessment the Government have made of the best method of meeting the health needs of problem gamblers;
	(3)  what plans he has to include responsibility for problem gambling under the auspices of the National Treatment Agency.

Rosie Winterton: The most recent assessment of the extent of problem gambling is in the report of the independent Gambling Review Body (Cm 5206).
	The national development group for specialised mental health services will review treatment for problem gambling to provide guidance that will help groups of primary care trusts to commission appropriate services and support the development of services in those areas where there are significant problems.
	We have also encouraged the gambling industry to support the charitable trust, which it has established with a remit to fund both research into problem gambling and services for its treatment.
	The Department has no plans to include responsibility for problem gambling under the auspices of the National Treatment Agency.

Health Inequality

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out for each (a) primary care trust and (b) strategic health authority area the benchmark national indicators of health inequality, as set out in Annex C of the report on Tackling Health Inequalities.

Melanie Johnson: The indicators in Annex C of "Tackling Health Inequalities: A Programme for Action" measure national progress on health inequalities. The London Public Health Observatory has produced a Local Basket of Indicators on health inequalities for all primary care trusts, and a copy of their report has been placed in the Library, and is available on the London Health Observatory website at: http://www.lho.org.uk/HIL/Inequalities In Health/Basket Of Indicators/Basket.htm

Health Services (Worcestershire)

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the proposed new health centres in (a) Upton-on-Severn and (b) Malvern.

Stephen Ladyman: The future of the proposed new health centres in Upton-on-Severn and Malvern will depend on the priority for investment in these facilities relative to other such developments within the West Midlands South area. West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority reports that this will be decided by a planning group comprising all of the primary care trust chief executives within the West Midlands South area.

Health Services (Worcestershire)

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the financial position of the (a) South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust and (b) Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Stephen Ladyman: South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT) is forecasting to deliver a financial breakeven position at 31 March 2004.
	The most recent board report from the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust forecasts a £10.9 million deficit. West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority (SHA) reports that it is anticipated that this figure may change as a consequence of a complete review of the financial position within the trust by the new executive team.
	The PCTs within Worcestershire, the acute trust and the mental health trust are working with the West Midlands South SHA towards delivering a financial recovery plan to address the deficit. This plan contains a series of cost saving measures, which will be necessary to return the health economy to financial break-even.

Health Services (Worcestershire)

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of Pershore Community Hospital following South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust's announcement that the building of several health centres in Worcestershire is to be put on hold.

Stephen Ladyman: Significant new revenue funding is being made available to support public, private capital investment in the primary care estate based on local prioritisation of development proposals.
	The future of the Pershore Community Hospital development will depend on the priority for investment in this facility relative to other such developments within the West Midlands South area. West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority reports that this will be decided by a planning group comprising all of the primary care trust chief executives within the West Midlands South area.

Health Services (Worcestershire)

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of capital projects for health centres, doctors' surgeries and hospitals provided under the auspice of the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of controls on private finance initiative revenue streams as they affect investments by South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 2 March 2004
	Significant new revenue funding is being made available to support public, private capital investment in the primary care estate based on local prioritisation of development proposals.
	As part of the implementation of the new primary medical service arrangements, baseline allocations have been notified to all primary care trusts (PCTs) for 2004–05, which include an element for new developments contractually agreed by 30 September 2003.
	In addition, further growth funding is to be notified in the near future to PCTs to support prioritised developments contractually agreed after that date.
	West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority has devolved responsibility for prioritisation of growth funding for premises development to a planning group comprising all of the PCT chief executives within the West Midlands South area.

HIV/AIDS

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of field trials of vaccines to prevent HIV/AIDS carried out in (a) Kenya, (b) Uganda, (c) South Africa and (d) Botswana.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
	Four different vaccines are currently in Phase 1 safety trials in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Botswana. Three of these are based on types of HIV prevalent in East and Southern Africa and one, in Botswana, on the type of HIV prevalent in Europe and the USA. Details of the trials, the vaccines under investigation and trials sponsors can be found on the clinical trials database maintained by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) at www.iavi.org/trials.
	DFID supports the global effort to accelerate the development of safe and effective HIV vaccines as an important part of a comprehensive long-term response to HIV and AIDS. Trials currently underway in Africa provide an important contribution to these efforts, particularly in developing vaccines that will be appropriate for use by developing countries. The participation of African researchers in these efforts is particularly welcome. Given the difficult task of discovering and proving the efficacy of an HIV vaccine, it is important that a number of promising vaccine candidates are developed in parallel if chances of success are to be increased and efforts accelerated. As the current trials are completed DFID expects that decisions will be made regarding which of the candidates should progress to later stage trials to test vaccine efficacy. These decisions will be the responsibility of the sponsoring agencies.
	Since 1998 DFID has provided funding to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) to progress global HIV vaccine efforts, with a particular focus on vaccines developed for use by developing countries. IAVI is a not-for-profit organisation with the mission to accelerate the development of safe and effective HIV vaccines and to ensure the rapid availability for use throughout the world. IAVI actively manages a research portfolio with its R&D partners, which includes support for eight vaccine candidates, three of which are currently in trials in the countries in question.

Hospices

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) adult and (b) children's hospices are operating in England;
	(2)  how many (a) adult and (b) children's hospices in England receive no financial assistance from the NHS.

Melanie Johnson: There are 172 adult in-patient units (2,637 beds) 1 and 27 children's units (201) beds in England, the large majority of which are managed by the voluntary sector.
	We do not collect information on financial assistance centrally. It is for the national health service locally to make arrangements for financial support to both adult and children's hospices based on the needs of the local population. We are investing an additional £50 million per annum in specialist palliative care for adults with cancer. Hospices are benefiting from this additional money.
	 1 Source:
	Hospice Information—January 2004.

Human Papilloma Virus

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the original planned publication date was for the results of the implementation pilots on human papilloma virus testing.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 2 March 2004
	A pilot of human papilloma virus (HPV) testing as triage for women whose cervical screening test results showed low grade abnormalities began in April 2001 as part of the pilot of liquid based cytology (LBC). In the pilot, women who were HPV positive were referred immediately for a follow-up examination by colposcopy. If the test showed women were HPV negative, they had a repeat screening test after six months and a second HPV test.
	An independent evaluation of the pilot was commissioned by the Department from the Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit at the Institute of Cancer Research. The evaluation is covering all aspects of HPV testing as triage, including cost-effectiveness. As women who have low grade abnormalities but are HPV negative are retested six months later, the HPV arm of the pilot has taken longer than the LBC arm, as expected. Full follow-up of all women in the pilot is essential for completeness of the evaluation. The HPV evaluation report was due at the end of 2003, but the evaluation has proved more difficult than anticipated. It is important to get the evaluation right, as the cervical screening programmes involved four million women each year.
	A draft of the evaluation report has been seen by the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening, and will also go to the National Screening Committee, which originally commissioned the pilot, shortly. The evaluation report will then be peer reviewed in the usual way, and we expect publication of the full report in the summer. The evaluators will also publish aspects of the results in peer reviewed journals.

Imported Infections

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Cabinet Office Review into imported infections and immigration will be published.

Melanie Johnson: The Cabinet Office is continuing to co-ordinate work between relevant Government Departments, including the Department of Health, to review imported infections and immigration. The purpose of the review is to establish the facts about the impact of immigration on public health and National Health Service expenditure, consider all relevant issues, including health screening, and suggest solutions should action be required. It is ongoing and no decisions have been taken yet.

Local Authority Grants (Dorset)

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what grants were awarded to local authorities in Dorset by his Department in financial year 2003–04 that fall outside the revenue support grant.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the response given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford), on 1 March 2004, Official Report, column 750W.

Pharmaceutical Services

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of responses to the consultation on proposals to reform and modernise the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 in relation to the proposed exemption of large shopping developments from the control of entry requirements for retail pharmacy services.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 1 March 2004
	Copies of 274 responses received in respect of the Department's consultation on proposals to reform and modernise the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992, including those responses commenting on the proposed exemption from the control of entry requirements for pharmacy applications in respect of large shopping developments over 15,000 square metres gross lettable floor space, will be placed in the Library.
	Responses received in confidence have not been placed in the Library under exemption 14 (Information given in confidence) of Part 2 of the Open Government Code of Practice.
	We intend to publish a summary of these responses in due course.

Pharmaceutical Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the rate of inappropriate prescribing among those (a) under 65 years and (b) 65 years and over, broken down by gender, in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: We do not collect data centrally to make such an assessment.

Pharmaceutical Services

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those medical conditions whose sufferers qualify for free prescriptions; and what the cost to the NHS was in 2003–04 in respect of each condition.

Rosie Winterton: The medical conditions conferring exemption from prescription charges are:
	Permanent fistula (including caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy, or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance;
	The following disorders:
	Forms of hypoadrenalism (including Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential;
	Diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism;
	Diabetes mellitus—except where treatment is by diet alone;
	Hypoparathyroidism;
	Myasthenia gravis;
	Myxoedema;
	Epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy;
	A continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving his residence without the help of another person.
	In 2002–03, 38.2 million prescription items were dispensed in the community in England to holders of a medical exemption certificate. This represents charge revenue foregone of around £236.8 million. Information in respect of each condition is not available and information for 2003–04 is not yet available.

Pharmaceutical Services

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the medical conditions about which representations have been made to his Department in the last three years proposing the granting of free drug prescriptions to sufferers of those conditions; and what his estimate is of the cost of free prescriptions in respect of each of these conditions.

Rosie Winterton: The following list of conditions (as described by the person making the representations) have been identified as the subject of representations in respect of free prescriptions between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2003.
	Anhydrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia
	Arthritis
	Asthma
	Bartter's Syndrome
	Behcet's Syndrome
	Budd-Chiari Syndrome
	Cancer
	Cerebral Palsy
	Chronic Bronchitis
	Coeliac Disease
	Colitis
	Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
	Crohns Disease
	Cystic Fibrosis
	Depression
	Dermatomyositis
	Diabetes (controlled by diet alone)
	Disabilities (nature unspecified)
	Dopa-responsive Dystonia
	Downs Syndrome
	Dystonia
	Eczema
	Emphysema
	Glaucoma
	Heart Disease
	Hepatitis
	High Blood Pressure
	Hodgkins Disease
	Hormone Replacement Therapy
	Hypogonadism
	Irritable Bowel Syndrome
	Kidney Failure
	Klinefelter's Syndrome
	Leukaemia
	Liver Failure/Disease
	Lund Disease
	Lupus
	Malignant Brain Tumour
	Mental Illness
	Motor Neurone Disease
	Multiple Sclerosis
	Myositis Disease
	Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
	Overactive Thyroid
	Pancreatic Defects
	Parkinson's Disease
	Phenylketonuria
	Premature Ovarian Failure
	Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
	Primary Thrombocythaemia
	Pulmonary Hypertension
	Renal Failure
	Schizophrenia
	Sickle Cell Anaemia
	Systematic Lupus Erythematosus
	Thalassemia
	Tourette's Syndrome
	Transplant Patients
	Tuberculosis
	Turners Syndrome
	Wegener's Granulomatosis
	No estimates have been made of the cost of free prescriptions in respect of each of these conditions.

Security Passes

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in departmental agencies in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: pursuant to her reply, 15 January 2004, Official Report, c. 859W
	I regret my previous response was incorrect. The response should have read as follows.
	"The records, where available, of building access passes issued by Department of Health Executive Agencies, and subsequently reported as lost or stolen, indicate that 37 passes were lost and three were stolen during the period 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003."

Sexual Health

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to implement the 2001 Sexual Health Strategy.

Melanie Johnson: A full programme of action to implement the strategy is taking place, as set out in the Strategy Implementation Action Plan (2002), backed by significant investment of £47.5 million, plus a further £40 million committed over the next two years. In addition, a further £26.4 million has been invested this year. The Government's response to the Health Select Committee report on sexual health published in September 2003 (cm 5959) contains details of the work being undertaken, including the national chlamydia screening programme; measures to improve access to services; improve genito-urinary medicine clinic premises; national sexual health promotion campaigns; and work to support local implementation.

Sexual Health

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of (a) gonorrhea, (b) syphilis, (c) chlamydia and (d) thrush have been diagnosed in the East Riding of Yorkshire in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information for the Yorkshire and Humberside area is shown in the table.
	
		Selected diagnosed STIs seen in Yorkshire and Humberside NHS Region 1998–2002
		
			 Condition code Condition name Sex description 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 A1A2 Primary and Secondary Infectious Syphilis Male 5 11 12 28 53 
			 A1A2 Primary and Secondary Infectious Syphilis Homosexually acquired 0 5 3 10 16 
			 A1A2 Primary and Secondary Infectious Syphilis Female 0 1 3 6 11 
			 
			 B1B2 Uncomplicated Gonorrhoea Male 562 582 911 1,016 1,421 
			 B1B2 Uncomplicated Gonorrhoea Homosexually acquired 79 67 103 118 146 
			 B1B2 Uncomplicated Gonorrhoea Female 318 332 445 503 673 
			 
			 C4A,C4C Uncomplicated Chlamydia Infection Male 2,222 2,491 2,617 3,290 4,234 
			 G4A,C4C Uncomplicated Chlamydia Infection Homosexually acquired 24 32 34 44 62 
			 C4A,C4C Uncomplicated Chlamydia Infection Female 3,135 3,478 3,742 4,549 5,479 
			 
			 C7A Anogenital Candidosis Male 480 475 486 429 403 
			 C7A Anogenital Candidosis Female 5,267 5,093 4,967 5,273 5,358 
		
	
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency
	Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre

Variant CJD (Rachel Forber)

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has referred the issue of possible transmission of variant CJD via (a) blood transfusion and (b) urine-derived products to the Spongiform Encephalopathies Advisory Committee for advice.

Melanie Johnson: The first possible case of blood transfusion-associated transmission of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob disease (vCJD) was referred to the 81st meeting of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) which took place on 25 February 2004.
	The SEAC has not discussed urine-derived products.

York District Hospital

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of building the children's assessment and treatment area at York District Hospital was.

Melanie Johnson: This information is not available centrally in the format requested. However, this facility forms part of the modernised and expanded accident and emergency facility at York District Hospital, which cost £2.16 million.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Bonny Island

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Solicitor-General whether the Serious Fraud Office has received a request from (a) French authorities, (b) US authorities and (c) Nigerian authorities for assistance into investigations of allegations involving payments by the consortium TSKJ in connection with the Bonny Island liquified natural gas plant in Nigeria; and whether the SFO is investigating these allegations.

Harriet Harman: For operational reasons the SFO cannot confirm or deny whether a specific matter has been referred to it, or is under investigation.

Bribery

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Solicitor-General 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on Serious Fraud Office investigations into bribery of a foreign public official since 1997 under (a) the UK's corruption laws and (b) the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001;
	(2)  what the Serious Fraud Office's operational policy is on investigating allegations of bribery of a foreign public official which took place prior to the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 where an element of the offence may have occurred within the UK prior to February 2002.

Harriet Harman: The purpose of the SFO is to investigate and prosecute suspected offences of serious or complex fraud that meet the published acceptance criteria agreed by Ministers. The SFO does not have separate operational policies relating to each offence that it can prosecute, nor does the SFO prioritise by reference to specific offences.
	After a case has been accepted and the investigation has advanced, the SFO must then consider which offence/offences are the most appropriate to prosecute. The facts of a case may give rise to a number of possible offences including for example conspiracy to defraud, theft, fraudulent trading as well as corruption. If a prosecution is justified by the evidence and public interest then the charge selected will be the one that best represents the conduct of the individuals charged.
	A referral that includes bribery of a foreign official that took place prior to February 2002 would be assessed on the same basis as every other referral and this basis is outlined above.
	The SFO has one investigation where bribery of a foreign official represents an element of the overall case. It is not known at present whether it will be appropriate to prosecute this element.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

After-School and Breakfast Clubs

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) after school clubs and (b) breakfast clubs are run in Chorley schools, broken down by school.

Margaret Hodge: The Department does not keep figures on the number of after school and breakfast clubs on offer, by area or school. It is for local authorities and schools to determine what provision will best meet the needs of the young people in the area.
	However, more such clubs have been established in a number of schools through Government funding for study support or child care provision. Lancashire local education authority has informed my Department that it has allocated £44,447 from the Department's Standards Fund this year to provide study support opportunities for young people in schools in Chorley. Study support includes activities such as sport, the creative arts and cultural activities, as well as after school and breakfast clubs. Chorley has also received £501,324 this year from the New Opportunities Fund "Out of School Childcare Programme" to fund 627 places.

Alice House

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the future of Alice House in north-east Lincolnshire.

David Miliband: It is for the local authority and the local education authority to make suitable provision that will best meet the needs of local children and young people, including teenage mothers.

Arts and Humanities Research Council

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that the proposed Arts and Humanities Research Council has the same status as science-based research councils when it is funded by the Office for Science and Technology; and what steps he is taking to safeguard funding for research in the arts and humanities.

Alan Johnson: The Higher Education Bill, currently before the House, provides for the proposed Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to operate on the same lines as the existing science Research Councils under the auspices of the Office of Science and Technology.
	As recommended by the Review of Arts and Humanities Research funding, we are providing for a once and for all transfer of funds from the DfES, the Department for Education and Learning in Northern Ireland, the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Executive to the Department for Trade and Industry. The level of future funding for research including Arts and Humanities research is a matter for the Spending Review.

Bodies (Costs)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the running costs of the (a) Learning and Skills Council, (b) the Higher Education Funding Council and (c) the Sector Skills Agency were in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The administration costs in 2002–03 (the most recent year for which figures are available) are in the table.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 (a) Learning and Skills Council (LSC): 223.3 
			 (b) Higher Education Funding Council 15.69 
			 (c) Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) 3.72 
		
	
	The different amounts reflect the different remits and structures of the three organisations. As part of the 2002 Spending Review, £218 million has been allocated in each of the three years 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 for the LSC's administration costs and have asked the LSC to find administrative economies so that it can manage with a flat cash administrative budget. As part of this, the LSC has already announced that its national office will be reducing by 200 posts, building on the 600 reductions already achieved through more efficient back-office functions.
	Notes:
	LSC: Figures include transition costs associated with establishing a new organisation. SSDA: 2002–03 was the SSDA's first year of operation and £1.05 million of the administration costs was attributed to the setting up of the Agency.

Capital Expenditure (Rochdale)

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what capital funding has been spent on education in the Rochdale constituency since 1997; which schools benefited from additional capital investment in each year; how much funding each received; and how the funding has been spent.

David Miliband: holding answer 4 March 2004
	The majority of capital support is allocated to schools and local education authorities by formula and they decide how to invest it, in line with the priorities of their asset management plans. The Department does not, therefore, have complete information about capital investment in individual schools. This information should be held locally.

Careers Guidance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the findings of the OECD review of careers guidance policies in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 1 March 2004
	The OECD report recognises the high quality of the UK's career guidance services, asserting that 'Compared to most other OECD countries, career guidance is very highly developed in the United Kingdom'.
	The OECD places particular emphasis on: the importance of programmes designed to develop career management skills (as well as support when making decisions at key transition points); and access to impartial advice from an agency that is external to the learning institution in which the student is based. Both are key features of careers education and guidance provision in England.

Careers Guidance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans his Department has to revise the provision of careers guidance to under-19s; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Connexions Service provides all 13 to19-year-olds with access to information, advice and guidance to help them make informed learning and career choices. This is complemented by support from learning institutions, in particular through schools' careers education programmes, available to all young people in years 9–11.
	The Department has set in train an end-to-end review of the delivery of careers education and guidance, to assess the extent to which the support currently provided by Connexions and learning institutions meets the needs of all young people, taking account of the advice and support implications that arise from the reforms to 14–19 education announced in "14–19: Opportunity and Excellence", published in January 2003.

Careers Guidance

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received concerning the provision of careers guidance by Connexions personal advisers; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 1 March 2004
	A small number of Connexions Personal Advisers have written to DfES expressing concerns that not all young people are receiving support on making learning and career choices, because of Connexions' focus on reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
	We have made it clear to Connexions Partnerships that providing access to careers information, advice and guidance to all young people—differentiated according to each individual's needs—is a key element of the preventative strategy to reduce NEETs.

Child Care (Kirklees)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children there are under the age of eight in Kirklees; and how many registered child care places there are for children under the age of eight in Kirklees;
	(2)  what the ratio of child care places to children under eight is in (a) Kirklees and (b) England.

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for the Office of Education and Standards (OFSTED) and I will ask Her Majesty's Chief Inspector to write to the hon. Member. OFSTED has been responsible for the registration and inspection of children's day care facilities since September 2001.

Children (Access)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the Secretary of State will bring forward legislation to provide for a presumption at court that both parents have the right to spend time with their children following divorce; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 5 March 2004
	2 FLR 124 in the following terms:
	"Where parents of a child are separated and the child is in the day-to-day care of one of them, it is almost always in the interests of the child that he or she should have contact with the other parent."
	The Government will be publishing its response to the Children Act Sub-Committee Report, "Making Contact Work", which dealt with the issue of the facilitation and enforcement of contact orders in March.

Children's Fund

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on (a) the (i) extent and (ii) duration of funding of the Children Fund's partnership with Portsmouth city council and (b) the impact of changes to that funding on existing projects.

Margaret Hodge: Portsmouth Children's Fund began operating in July 2001 and is approved until March 2006. It was allocated £1,010,000 per annum.
	In its first two years the Children's Fund programme had a record of underspend. Efforts to ensure that all the money was spent have now led to a projected overspend. Revised allocations to some partnerships for 2003–04 were agreed following a mid year review of expenditure. This will ensure that the programme lives within its financial limits this year while honouring its commitments. However, Portsmouth's budget for 2003–04 was not revised following the mid year review.
	For 2004–05 we have agreed revised allocations to all partnerships totalling £160 million. This is just below the originally announced total of £164.6 million. Portsmouth's revised allocation for 2004–05 is £981,768. We announced these allocations on 27 February and we are currently working with partnerships, through our regional teams, to assess the impact. The Portsmouth programme has welcomed the freedom to bring forward underspend from 2003–04 into 2004–05 to support its programme. I have made some provision available in the form of a contingency fund which partnerships can apply to, if a serious risk to service delivery in key programmes remains an issue.
	I will not be taking final decisions on 2005–06 until I have consulted partnerships and discussed the future of the Children's Fund with key partners, in particular, the potential transition to children's trusts. However, I recognise that partnerships are keen to get some indication of funding levels for 2005–06, in order to help them plan effectively. Therefore I have advised partnerships that the budget for 2005–06 will be no less than £110 million. I will announce the final allocation in autumn 2004, following the outcome of the 2004 Spending Review.

Children's Fund

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes have been made to central government funding allocations for the Children's Fund in this financial year, broken down by region; what assessment he has made of the impact such changes will have on services provided by the Children's Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 9 February 2004
	The 2003–04 mid year review of expenditure identified approximately £12.5 million in underpsend from quarters 1 and 2 that could be redirected from Children's Fund partnerships. This figure was collated nationally and has not been broken down by region.
	This action was taken to ensure the programme kept within its budget. The Department has assessed the impact of the review, working with representatives from the main voluntary sector organisations involved in the Fund, the LGA and the ADSS as well as with partnerships' ability to meet contractural obligations, we revisited them. Furthermore, we set aside some money to assist where there was a likelihood of premature closure of services.
	Underspend taken back in the mid year review has meant revised allocations to some partnerships this year and ensures the programme can live within its financial limits while honouring its commitments.

Children's Fund

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what programmes in the Wycombe constituency receive money from the Buckinghamshire Children's Fund.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 5 March 2004
	The following projects are currently receiving money from Buckinghamshire Children's Fund in the Wycombe constituency.
	Ashill School project to supporting children during playtime;
	Castlefield play worker project;
	Green Street—Saturday school for children for Asian community;
	Acacia Saturday school for African/Caribbean children across Wycombe;
	Cresswicks Secondary School Heartstone project, which tackles racism;
	South Bucks Young Carers project;
	NCH project working with children with disabilities;
	Bucks University for Young People project—run classes in Wycombe;
	A crime prevention Youth Inclusion Support Panel and Restorative Justice project are in planning, expected to begin next year.

City Academies

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools from the independent sector have expressed interest in sponsoring city academies; and what proportion of city academies have already been sponsored by independent schools.

David Miliband: Three schools from the independent sector are already sponsoring Academies and a number of others have expressed an interest. The United Learning Trust (ULT), a subsidiary of the Church Schools Company, which runs a federation of eight independent schools, sponsors the Manchester Academy, which opened in September 2003. ULT also sponsor a further four Academies which are currently in development.

Classroom Assistants

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) part-time and (b) full-time classroom assistants were (i) recruited and (ii) employed in each London borough in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: Data for recruitment of teaching assistants are not available. Data for teaching assistants in employment are available only as a total full-time equivalent (FTE) number at LEA level. The table shows the total FTE number of teaching assistants employed in maintained nursery, primary, secondary, all special schools and pupil referral units in January of each year since 1997 by London LEA 1 , 2 .
	1 Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	2 Includes nursery assistants in nursery schools, special needs support staff and minority ethnic pupil support staff.
	
		
			   FTE number of teaching assistants 
			   1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			  London 8,210 8,910 9,840 11,790 14,380 15,390 17,590 
			 202 Camden 200 240 250 300 360 440 470 
			 201 City of London — — — — — — — 
			 204 Hackney 210 250 290 380 420 490 530 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 190 200 210 250 240 260 300 
			 309 Haringey 350 360 380 420 490 650 680 
			 206 Islington 250 250 270 350 360 350 480 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 130 140 140 170 210 220 260 
			 208 Lambeth 300 350 390 500 560 580 640 
			 209 Lewisham 280 290 320 410 570 470 560 
			 316 Newham 280 280 390 500 960 720 1,070 
			 210 Southwark 350 420 430 650 810 750 710 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 370 400 450 510 800 970 950 
			 212 Wandsworth 330 370 370 460 470 380 530 
			 213 Westminster 150 170 160 190 190 310 280 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 300 290 310 320 400 500 510 
			 302 Barnet 290 340 400 480 550 740 720 
			 303 Bexley 200 230 280 310 380 320 560 
			 304 Brent 260 300 360 390 440 450 470 
			 305 Bromley 220 240 250 290 370 440 520 
			 306 Croydon 400 410 510 530 660 630 870 
			 307 Ealing 340 360 370 400 510 450 530 
			 308 Enfield 250 290 290 500 590 810 880 
			 203 Greenwich 360 400 430 510 650 650 730 
			 310 Harrow 270 270 290 300 300 330 430 
			 311 Havering 170 170 200 260 300 310 520 
			 312 Hillingdon 330 370 410 450 540 560 640 
			 313 Hounslow 280 280 290 330 380 400 400 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 130 130 150 170 220 220 250 
			 315 Merton 190 200 220 240 290 250 300 
			 317 Redbridge 200 230 270 370 450 580 620 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 100 110 110 130 160 210 220 
			 319 Sutton 160 170 210 230 260 340 330 
			 320 Waltham Forest 380 400 410 470 490 610 640 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance his Department has issued to Connexions area partnerships concerning their running costs for 2004–05.

Margaret Hodge: No specific guidance has been issued to Connexions Partnerships in relation to their running costs for 2004–05.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total budget is for the Connexions service for (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 1 March 2004
	The total Connexions service budget for 2003–04 and 2004–05 is:
	
		£
		
			 Budget 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Field (grant to Connexions' Partnerships) 437.5 446.3m 
			 Central Programmes (including PA training, evaluation, Connexions Direct) 18.6m 14.6m 
			 VAT Not applicable 11.8m

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the benefits to young people of the Connexions card scheme.

Margaret Hodge: The Connexions card offers a range of benefits to young people who are in post-16 learning. The website www.connexionscard.com offers a range of rewards and information including:
	Products and services, chances to try new experiences and "money can't buy" opportunities. Currently there are some 140 possibilities on offer, including study guides and free entry to leisure facilities.
	Reduced cost of learning materials and public transport.
	Information on courses and career opportunities including a CV builder.
	The card also provides young people with an accredited proof of age card.

Contact and Residence Disputes

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what research his decision that it is in the best interests of children to be brought up by both parents was based.

Margaret Hodge: There is a considerable amount of research over a number of years from the UK and overseas that indicates that contact with both parents is in the best interests of the child. This finding has been endorsed by a number of leading family court judgments. Studies have also indicated that it is the quality of the contact the child maintains with both parents rather than merely its quantity that has the most beneficial effect.
	A thorough literature review of research available in this area can be found in the publication 'Researching Contact' by Joan Hunt, a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Oxford University. This work, by a well-known academic in the field of child and family law, provides a comprehensive summary of the research evidence that supports the view that contact with both parents is in the best interests of the child.

Early Years Education

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the change in the number of private day nurseries in the nursery education grant scheme as a result of the removal of the ring-fencing of the grants to local authorities.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not available in the form requested. Day care figures for 2001 and earlier years for England and Government Office regions were published in DfES Statistical Bulletin 08/01 "Children's Day Care facilities at 31 March 2001", which is available in the Library and on the DfES website, www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics. Latest childcare statistics were published in a report by OfSTED 'Registered Childcare Providers and Places in England, 19 December 2003', which is available on the OfSTED web-site, www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications. The numbers of providers and places recorded by OfSTED are not directly comparable with the previous data made available by the DfES because they were collected differently.
	The percentage of three and four year olds benefiting from free part-time early education in the private and voluntary sector has increased from 23 per cent. in January 2002 to 32 per cent. in January 2003. Growth in the full day care sector has been particularly strong over 2003–04. In March 387,000 places were available in the sector. By the end of December this had increased by 13 per cent. to 436,000.

Early Years Education

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research he has conducted into the funding of private providers for the nursery education grant scheme for three and four year olds following removal of the ring-fencing of funds for local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: There has been no specific research of private providers following the consolidation of resources in the under-fives sub-block of their Education Formula Spending Share (EFSS)—the main source of funding for education.
	The percentage of three and four year olds benefiting from free part-time early education in the private and voluntary sector in January 2003 was 32 per cent., up from 23 per cent. in January 2002.

Early Years Education

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from the National Day Nurseries Association on the financial viability of the operation by private providers of the nursery education grant scheme for three and four-year-olds; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Margaret Hodge: While we have not had a direct representation by the NDNA we do have dialogue with the NDNA and other national organisations, through the Large Providers Forum and the Voluntary Sector Forum, on a whole range of issues surrounding early education, including viability.

Early Years Education

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the financial viability of the Government's nursery education grant scheme for three and four-year-olds; [R]
	(2)  what representations he has received from Essex county council regarding the payment per term passed on by them to private sector providers under the nursery education grant scheme; and if he will take powers to force county council's to pass on to private providers the grant level made available by the Government; [R]
	(3)  if the nursery education grant scheme payment per term will be index-linked to inflation; [R]
	(4)  if he will make it his policy to reinstate ring-fencing of nursery education grants funds for local authorities. [R]

Margaret Hodge: From April 2003, we have increased local flexibility and autonomy, in line with the Government's principles of reducing ring-fenced funding by consolidating the resources in the under-fives sub-block of Education Formula Spending Share (EFSS)—the main source of funding for education. We have not received representations from Essex regarding funding to private providers. As funding in EFSS is unhypothecated it is the responsibility of the local authority to set funding at a suitable level to reflect local circumstances and in order to meet their statutory obligations. In the financial year 2004–05, overall funding in the under fives sub-block is worth £2.66 billion; overall education funding having increased by 5.5 per cent.
	Levels of funding increase every year, taking account of inflation and other pressures. All decisions on future funding will be considered as part of this year's Spending Review.

Epinephrine

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many children in schools have arrangements for delivering emergency injectable adrenaline (epinephrine) in case of an allergic reaction;
	(2)  how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have arrangements for delivering emergency injectable adrenaline (epinephrine) in case of an allergic reaction.

Margaret Hodge: Schools are not required to provide this information to the Department. The arrangements for managing such issues in schools are determined at local level. However, the Department, jointly with the Department of Health, has produced 'Supporting pupils with medical needs—a good practice guide' and Circular 14/96 'Supporting pupils with medical needs in school', in 1996. The guide includes a section on anaphylaxis, with information about emergency adrenaline injection. These documents were written to help schools draw up policies on managing medication in schools and to put in place effective management systems to support individual pupils with medical needs, as well as to set out the legal background.

Faith Schools

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which community schools have closed and re-opened as faith schools in the last 15 years; and which faith was involved in each case.

David Miliband: The following tables show which community schools have closed to be replaced by schools designated with a religious character ("faith schools") since 1997, listed by LEA area. The first table shows single community schools that have closed and been replaced by single faith schools. The second table shows amalgamations or mergers where community and faith schools have closed, to be replaced by a single faith school. Reliable information is not available in relation to school re-organisations before 1997.
	
		Community Schools closed and replaced with schools with religious character since1997
		
			 LEA Closed Schools New Schools Date of Opening Religious Character 
		
		
			 Bexley St. Augustine's Primary St. Augustine's of Canterbury CofE VA Primary 1 September 2003 Church of England 
			 Bexley Lesney Park Primary Christ Church, Erith, CE VA Primary 1 September 2003 Church of England 
			 Blackpool St. Georges High St. Georges CofE VA 1 September 2002 Church of England 
			 Darlington Middleton St. George Primary Middleton St. George CofE Aided Primary (VA) 1 September 2003 Church of England 
			 Doncaster Rossington High Rossington All Saints Church of England (VA) 1 September 2002 Church of England 
			 Dorset Beechcroft Infant Beechcroft St. Paul's CE VA Primary 1 September 2003 Church of England 
			 Hampshire Micheldever Primary Micheldever CofE Primary (VC) 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 Hartlepool Henry Smith (Secondary) St. Hild's CofE VA 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 Lincolnshire Quarrington St. Botolph's (primary) St. Botolph's Church of England Primary (VC) 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 Milton Keynes Bow Brickhill First Bow Brickhill CE First (VA) 1 January 2004 Church of England 
			 Newcastle Upon Tyne West Denton High All Saints College (VC) 1 September 2002 Church of England 
			 Northumberland Seaton Hirst Middle (middle deemed secondary) Seaton Hirst Church of England Middle (VC middle deemed secondary) 1 December 2003 Church of England 
			 Northumberland Cramlington Cragside First Cragside Church of England First (VC) 1 December 2003 Church of England 
			 South Tyneside Whitburn (secondary) Whitburn Church of England (VA secondary) 1 January 2004 Church of England 
			 Warrington Sir Thomas Boteler High Sir Thomas Boteler CofE High (VA) 1 September 2002 Church of England 
			 Warrington Hood Manor Primary Sankey Valley St. James CofE Primary (VA) 1 September 2002 Church of England 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead Churchmead (secondary) Churchmead CofE (VA) (VA secondary) 1 September 2002 Church of England 
		
	
	
		Community schools closed as part of mergers/amalgamations and replaced with a school with a religious character since 1997
		
			 LEA Closed Schools New Schools Date or opening Religious Character 
		
		
			 Barnsley Dodworth Junior (community) and Dodworth CofE (VA) Infant Dodworth CofE (VA) Primary 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 Bury Fishpool Infant (community) and St. Chad's Church of England Junior (VC) St. Luke CofE Primary (VC) 1 September 2003 Church of England 
			 Calderdale Newlands Junior (community) and St. Peter's CE Aided Infant (VA) Sowerby Village VC CE 1 September 2002 Church of England 
			 Cambridgeshire Gordon Fendick Community Junior and St. Augustine's CofE Controlled Infant (VC) Orchards Church of England Primary (VC) 1 September 2003 Church of England 
			 Derbyshire Codnor CofE Primary (VC) and Codnor County Infant Codnor CofE Primary (VC) 1 September 1997 Church of England 
			 Derbyshire Chapel-en-le-Frith CE Infant (VC) and Warmbrook Junior (community) Chapel-en-le-Frith CofE Controlled (VC) 1 April 2002 Church of England 
			 Durham Lanchester Junior (VC), Lanchester County and Lanchester Nursery Lanchester Endowed Parochial Primary (VC) 2 September 1998 Church of England 
			 Gateshead Derwent Infant (community) and St. Cuthbert's Church of England Aided Junior (VA) St. Aidan's Church of England Primary (VA) 1 September 2000 Church of England 
			 Gloucestershire Winchcombe Infant (VA) and Winchcombe Junior (County) Winchcombe VA Primary 1 September 2000 Church of England 
			 Gloucestershire Hopes Hill Community Primary and Longhope CE VC Primary Hope Brook CE Primary (VC) 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 Hampshire Fareham Park Infant (county) and Fareham Park Junior (VC) Oak Meadow CE Primary (VC) 1 September 1997 Church of England 
			 Hertfordshire Haslewood Junior (community) and St. Paul's Voluntary Controlled Infant St. Catherine's CE VC Primary 1 January 2003 Church of England 
			 Isle of Scilly Carn Gwaval CE Primary (VC), St. Agnes CE Primary (VC), St. Martin's Anglican Primary (VC), Tresco CE Primary (VC) and The Isles of Scilly Secondary (community) The Five Islands CE (VC) Isle of Scilly (Middle deemed primary 4–16) 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 Kent New Romney Infant (community) and New Romney CE (Controlled) Junior (VC) St. Nicholas CofE (Controlled) Primary (VC) 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 Liverpool St. Georges Junior and Infant (VC) and Everton Park Junior and Infant (County) The Beacon CE VC Primary 1 September 1997 Church of England 
			 Liverpool Kirkdale Primary (community) and St. Lawrence's Primary VA) Kirkdale St. Lawrence CofE Primary 1 September 2000 Church of England 
			 North East Lincolnshire Pelham Infant's (community) and Immingham St. Andrew's Church of England Junior (VC) The Cannon Peter Hall CofE Primary (VC) 1 September 2003 Church of England 
			 Nottinghamshire Pilgrim Oak Infant (County) and Martin Roe Junior (VC) Ravenshead CE VC Primary 1 September 1999 Church of England 
			 Middlesbrough Coulby Newham (community Secondary) and Brackenhoe (community Secondary) Kings Academy (11 -18 Academy) 1 September 2003 Christian 
			 Sandwell Whiteheath Infant (County) and St. James Junior (VC) St. James Primary (VC) 1 September 1999 Church of England 
			 Sheffield Pye Bank Community Infant and Pye Bank Trinity CE VA Junior Pye Bank CofE Primary (VA) 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 South Tyneside Cleadon Village Junior (community) and Cleadon CofE Infants (VA) Cleadon Village Church of England VA Primary 1 January 2004 Church of England 
			 Staffordshire Knutton Infants (community) and St. Mary's Church of England (C) Junior (VC) Knutton St. Mary's Primary (VC) 1 January 2003 Church of England 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Elm Tree Community Infant and St. Mark's CE VA Junior St. Marks Elm Tree Primary (VA) 1 September 2001 Church of England 
			 Stoke-on-Trent Florence Primary (community) and Dresden CE Primary (VC) Belgrave CofE (C) Primary 1 September 2002 Church of England 
			 Tameside Hurst Infant (community) and Hurst VC Methodist Junior Rosehill Methodist Community Primary (VC) 1 August 2003 Methodist 
			 Warwickshire Baddesley Ensor Junior (community) and Baddesley Ensor CE VC Infant Woodside CE VC Primary 1 September 2001 Church of England

Family Policy

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many civil servants in his Department are assisting with the review of family policy; which (a) advisers from outside the Department and (b) other departments are assisting with the review; what body or committee within the Department is co-ordinating the review; when he expects to publish the review; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The review of family policy formed part of the work of two civil servants and a secondee from the voluntary sector. The views of a number of advisors from outside the Department and of local government have fed in to this work. The review of family policy is an internal DfES review by our Families Division. Its findings will not be published but they are contributing to relevant work in DfES and to the parenting strand of the Child Poverty Review currently being conducted by HM Treasury.

Food Safety

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training in food safety for carers of babies and pre-school children has been made available since the death of Thomas Egan to ensure that they are equipped to protect those at risk from severe food allergy.

Margaret Hodge: The national standards for under eights day care and childminding indicate that registered childcare providers should request information from parents about food allergies the child may have, and take heed of such information when providing children with food and drink. The standards also require that there is at least one member of staff with a current first aid certificate on the premises or on outings at any one time, and that the first aid qualification includes training in first aid for infants and young children. First aid training has to be consistent with any guidance issued by the Secretary of State to local authorities, who are responsible for making training available to settings. Guidance was sent to all local authorities in January 2004 and this includes the requirement that training should cover the treatment of children suffering from allergic reactions.

Food Safety

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many food technologists are undergoing training at places of further and higher education.

Alan Johnson: In 2001/02, 2,356 students were studying Food Science as their primary subject within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and 158,074 were studying food science related subjects within Further Education Institutions (FEIs).

Grammar Schools

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills under what circumstances a local education authority may close a grammar school under section 29 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 without (a) the consent of the governors and (b) a ballot of parents.

David Miliband: Section 29 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 provides for a local education authority to propose the closure of any category of maintained school including a grammar school. The authority must first consult interested parties, including parents and governors. If, after considering the responses to consultation, they decide to proceed they must publish the proposals in the local newspaper, at the entrance to the school and in a local public place. Anyone may then submit comments or objections to the proposals. Where objections are submitted, the final decision on the closure will be taken by the local School Organisation Committee (SOC), or an independent schools adjudicator if the SOC cannot reach a unanimous decision. Both the SOC and schools adjudicator must consider a range of factors in reaching a decision, including the views of interested parties.
	There is no requirement for a ballot of parents or the consent of the governors before proposals are published to close a grammar school. Ballots provide for the removal of selective admission arrangements, if enough parents vote in favour, from a school that is remaining open.

Higher Education

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the proportion was of families with an income under (a) £15,970 and (b) £33,500 with students going to higher education, broken down by local education authority, in the last academic year for which figures are available.

Alan Johnson: Data on the distribution of family incomes are not available at a Local Education Authority level.
	The income levels £15,970 and £33,500—referred to in the paper: Moving towards a single combined grant for higher education—are estimates for 2006–07.
	The figure of £15,970 is an estimate of the income threshold below which students will receive the full combined grant of £2,700 and above which the grant starts to be tapered away. Since the combined grant will be new in 2006–07, and its threshold is lower than that for the existing tuition fee relief scheme, there are no out-turn data for past years. However, it is estimated that around 30 per cent. of students will get the full grant. The figure of £33,500 is the estimated income level at which—in 2006–07—the combined grant will end and the means-tested element of the maintenance loan will begin to be tapered away. It is estimated that 50–55 per cent. of students will fall below this threshold and hence will receive some combined grant.
	In 2001–02, 59 per cent. of students had a family income which resulted in them receiving part or full contribution to their fees i.e. an income below the threshold of £29,785 for dependent students and £25,440 for independent students. This is the latest year for which data are available.
	Although the Department does not collect data on family income below various thresholds by LEA, we are aware that there are other organisations that do prepare figures of this nature. In particular, I understand that the House of Commons Library has access to some figures on family income by Parliamentary constituency, which hon. Members may be interested in. In addition, the Office of National Statistics has recently published some data on their website (www.statistics.gov.uk/neighbourhood) showing mean income at ward level, which hon. Members may also be interested in.
	The distribution of all students entering full-time undergraduate courses by local authority, is shown in the table, copies of which have been place in the House Libraries.

Homeless Young People

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether parents can be required to make a contribution to the care costs of a child under the age of 18 years, where they refuse to provide a home for that child.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 23 February 2004
	Part III of Schedule 2 of the Children Act 1989 provides powers for local authorities to recover contributions towards the maintenance of children looked after by them if they consider it reasonable to do so.
	The persons liable to contribute are, where the child is under sixteen, each of his parents and, where he has reached the age of sixteen, the child himself.

Internet Safety Teaching

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to include internet safety teaching in the National Curriculum.

David Miliband: Internet safety underpins the use of ICT to support the creative delivery of the National Curriculum and the teaching and learning of ICT core skills.
	Within the ICT curriculum and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) there is sufficient flexibility to include teaching about internet safety to pupils of all ages and for discussion about potential dangers when using the World Wide Web. Teachers are able to reinforce safe practice in any class where pupils are using the internet.
	The Department's Superhighway Safety guidance and website includes advice on all aspects of internet safety including key areas such as e-mails for students, filtering systems, school websites and chat rooms. Schools are advised to have an acceptable-use policy signed by students and their parents, guardians or carers, detailing the ways the internet can or cannot be used. School plans detail how they will implement internet safety measures such as filtering, monitoring and providing protected environments.
	The Internet Proficiency Certificate for primary pupils is a specific way of developing safe and discriminatory behaviours on the internet. We also provide GridClub as a safe environment for 7 to 11-year-olds to learn online in safety. The Parents Online website helps parents to help their children use the internet effectively and safely.

Litter and Waste Disposal Education

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure that school pupils are taught the importance of a responsible approach to the disposal of litter and waste.

Stephen Twigg: The Citizenship curriculum includes teaching pupils about issues that impact on the society and the environment. Pupils learn about what improves and harms their local environment and about the importance of disposing of waste and litter responsibly. Citizenship education encourages pupils to play a helpful part in the life of their schools, neighbourhoods, communities and the wider world. Such lessons may contribute to pupils understanding the consequences of dropping litter. An example can be found in the QCA Scheme of Work for Key Stage 3 which has a unit called 'Developing your schools grounds' in which pupils take responsibility for planning, devising and implementing ways of improving their school grounds.

Looked-After Children

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many looked-after children have had special educational needs statements in England in each year since 1994.

Margaret Hodge: Statistics on looked-after children with statements of special education needs have been collected only since 1999–2000. The following table has been compiled from the statistical bulletin "Outcome Indicators for Looked After Children" and refers to children who have been looked after for at least one year at the year ending 30 September.
	
		
			 Year Number of looked-after children (LAC) Number of LAC of school age Number of LAC of school age with statements of SEN Percentage(27) 
		
		
			 2000 42,200 33,100 8,600 26.0 
			 2001 43,400 33,800 8,900 26.5 
			 2002 44,100 34,500 9,200 26.8 
		
	
	(27) Rounded.

Mathematics/Physics A-levels

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students sat the A-level examination in (a) mathematics and (b) physics in 1993; and what proportion were in private sector schools.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) The total number of A-level entries in mathematics in England in 1993 was 62,616, 21.6 per cent. of which were in independent schools.
	(b) The total number of A-level entries in physics in England in 1993 was 34,467, 21.3 per cent. of which were in independent schools.

Minister for Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what additional responsibilities (a) the Minister for Children has assumed since October 2003 and (b) it has been decided the Minister for Children should assume but which she has not yet taken on.

Margaret Hodge: Since October 2003, I have assumed responsibility for the Children and Family Court Advice and Support Service (CAFCASS). Responsibility for CAFCASS transferred to my Department from the Department of Constitutional Affairs on 12 January 2004.
	I am not aware of any plans to extend my responsibilities as the Minister for Children, Young People and Families.

New Deal for Schools

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money was received by Northamptonshire county council at each stage of the New Deal for Schools.

David Miliband: The table shows the information requested for Northamptonshire local education authority.
	
		New Deal for Schools—Allocations to Northamptonshire local education authority -- £
		
			  Allocation 
		
		
			 1997–98 712,000 
			 1998–99 2,309,000 
			 1999–2000 2,590,000 
			 2000–01 8,384,000

New Schools (Greater London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the new schools agreed to be built in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough.

David Miliband: The majority of capital support is allocated to schools and local education authorities (LEAs) by formula, and they decide how to invest it in line with their asset management plans. The Department does not, therefore, have complete information about all the capital investments in each school; this should be held locally. Tables have been placed in the Libraries which set out the capital support made by this Government to each London LEA since 1997–98, in total and by programme, including devolved formula capital grants to each school.
	In addition to the funding programmes indicated overleaf, the Department will also invest significantly in secondary education facilities through Building Schools for the Future (BSF). The aim of this new approach is to rebuild and renew secondary schools in every part of England within 10 to 15 years from 2005–06, subject to future spending decisions. During the course of BSF, we therefore expect London authorities to receive large-scale investment to transform their secondary school buildings. We have already approved funding in principle for BSF projects in Newham and Waltham Forest for 2005–06, and we are also working on a BSF pathfinder project involving Greenwich, Southwark and Lewisham.

Popular Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been allocated to the Expanding Successful and Popular Schools programme; how many applications have been made for funding under this programme; and how many applications have been successful.

David Miliband: In August 2003, the Department announced that incentive and support funding for the expansion of successful and popular secondary schools would be available from 2004–05. To date, we have received seven applications for funding under this programme, two from local education authorities (LEAs) and five directly from schools.
	Provision of this funding is dependent on agreement to statutory proposals to expand a school by the local School Organisation Committee (SOC), or failing agreement by the SOC, by the Adjudicator. We are not aware that any of these seven proposals has yet been determined.
	Where applications have the support of the LEA and are agreed, we will provide incentive funding of £500,000 (£400,000 if the school does not have a sixth form). Where applications are not supported by the LEA, we will provide the full funding required. We are currently working with the five schools in this position to determine the level of support needed to provide 21st century buildings for the additional pupils.

Post-16 Education (Gloucestershire)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with (a) Gloucestershire county council and (b) Gloucestershire Learning and Skills Council on the local education authority's post-16 review; and if he will publish the relevant correspondence.

David Miliband: The Secretary of State has had no discussions with Gloucestershire county council or Gloucestershire Learning and Skills Council on the local education authority's post-16 review. Nor has the Secretary of State exchanged any correspondence with either of these bodies on the matter.
	Any proposals to re-organise sixth form provision published by the local education authority as part of this review will be decided locally by the local School Organisation Committee, or the Schools Adjudicator if the Committee cannot agree unanimously. The Secretary of State will play no part in the decision-making process.

Postgraduate Education

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students participated in postgraduate education in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) social class and (b) age.

Alan Johnson: Figures for postgraduate enrolments by social class are not held centrally. The available figures split by age are given below.
	
		Postgraduate enrolments to UK HE institutions by age, 1997/8 to 2002/3
		
			 Age 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 
		
		
			 20 1,465 1,379 1,392 1,381 1,443 1,655 
			 21–24 76,346 77,508 80,468 85,548 92,304 103,762 
			 25+ 269,196 285,071 287,277 293,821 298,104 308,833 
			 All 347,007 363,958 369,137 380,750 391,851 414,250 
		
	
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Prince's Trust Report

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will meet the Prince's Trust to discuss the findings of its report, "Reaching the Hardest to Reach".

Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State meets the Prince of Wales on an occasional basis. My right hon. Friend has received a copy of the report "Reaching the Hardest to Reach" and it is being considered by Ministers.Ministers and officials in the Department for Education and Skills are in regular contact with the trust to discuss areas of mutual interest and co-operation, including the trust's work on reaching disaffected young people.

Private Schools (Expansion)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria will be used in assessing whether to grant permission for a private school to expand.

David Miliband: Section 162 of the Education Act 2002 requires independent schools to gain approval from the Secretary of State before increasing the maximum number of pupils within the school. The approval process takes into account the findings of recent inspections, or the school's plans for building work, which are subject to building regulation controls. Approval confirms that issues such as overcrowding or understaffing will not compromise the health, welfare and safety of pupils.

School Cricket Facilities

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many state schools (a) have (i) cricket nets and (ii) cricket squares and (b) play inter-school cricket fixtures.

Stephen Twigg: This information is not held by the Department. Local education authorities and schools would need to expend additional resources were they to be asked to supply the information.

School Federations

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school federations have been established.

David Miliband: The Department is currently providing pump-priming funding for 29 Federation pilots involving around 150 schools. However, schools can (and do) federate without applying to the Department and without pump-priming funding. We do not hold centralised records for these federations.

School Kitchens

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what earmarked funds are available for refurbishment of school kitchens.

David Miliband: The only funds specifically earmarked for projects including the refurbishment of school kitchens relate to Voluntary Aided (VA) schools. This results from the reform of liabilities and funding arrangements at VA schools in 2002, when their governing bodies took on responsibility for some buildings (including kitchens) which were previously the responsibility of local education authorities. No other capital funding is earmarked by the Department, most being provided formulaically to support local prioritisation of need.

School Leavers (Greater London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough left school with no qualifications in each of the last five years.

David Miliband: The following table shows the percentage of pupils in (a) the London Government Office Region and (b) each London local education authority who gained no passes at GCSE/GNVQ for the years 1999 to 2003.
	
		Percentage of pupils gaining no passes at GCSE/GNVQ
		
			 Local education authority number/name 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 National Average 6.0 5.6 5.5 5.4 5.2 
			 London GOR 5.2 3.9 4.6 4.4 4.7 
			 201 City of London — — — — — 
			 202 Camden 6.9 5.9 4.1 6.1 4.8 
			 203 Greenwich 9.7 6.9 7.4 6.8 6.5 
			 204 Hackney 7.3 6.8 6.9 8.7 5.1 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 4.5 0.6 3.9 2.7 3.7 
			 206 Islington 9.1 8.3 11.4 11.6 5.2 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 6.8 6.7 3.8 4.7 5.6 
			 208 Lambeth 4.5 3.0 4.5 3.6 4.0 
			 209 Lewisham 5.3 6.0 7.1 4.3 5.3 
			 210 Southwark 5.3 2.0 4.7 4.4 5.4 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 4.2 2.4 3.5 1.9 3.9 
			 212 Wandsworth 5.0 3.0 4.8 4.2 7.2 
			 213 Westminster 8.4 5.3 6.1 5.9 4.9 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 5.5 3.0 4.9 7.1 5.1 
			 302 Barnet 6.9 4.8 4.8 4.9 5.0 
			 303 Bexley 3.6 4.5 4.5 3.4 3.4 
			 304 Brent 5.1 1.5 3.8 3.8 4.1 
			 305 Bromley 4.1 3.4 3.7 3.7 3.5 
			 306 Croydon 4.6 3.2 4.0 3.9 4.7 
			 307 Ealing 4.4 1.5 1.8 0.8 3.4 
			 308 Enfield 3.5 2.9 3.2 4.2 4.5 
			 309 Haringey 7.4 7.0 7.9 8.1 10.0 
			 310 Harrow 4.3 3.3 3.3 2.6 4.3 
			 311 Havering 2.6 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.2 
			 312 Hillingdon 6.6 4.8 3.8 5.3 6.7 
			 313 Hounslow 5.4 4.2 4.3 4.5 4.9 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 5.6 6.9 6.0 8.3 5.1 
			 315 Merton 8.1 7.4 6.3 8.7 7.8 
			 316 Newham 3.5 0.0 2.4 0.6 2.0 
			 317 Redbridge 1.4 0.8 2.1 1.4 2.2 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 4.2 4.4 5.8 6.6 3.4 
			 319 Sutton 3.2 3.5 4.0 3.3 3.6 
			 320 Waltham Forest 6.7 6.5 6.4 4.8 6.4

Schools (Funding)

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what impact his announcement in respect of financial settlements to local education authorities will have on per capita funding for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools for (i) 2004–05 and for (ii) each local education authority.

David Miliband: Our proposals to restore stability and certainty to school funding include a guaranteed minimum increase in every school's per pupil funding of 4 per cent. where pupil numbers remain unchanged. All authorities' School Formula Spending Shares are increasing by at least 5 per cent. per pupil in 2004–05. This gives headroom above the guarantee and flexibility to target funds towards schools facing difficulty. Information showing the increase per pupil for all local education authorities in England has been placed in the Libraries. It is for individual authorities to decide how funding above the guaranteed minimum increase should be distributed to primary and secondary schools, using their locally agreed funding formulae.

Schools (Funding)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what proportion of (a) leadership incentive, (b) national literacy and numeracy strategy, (c) Key Stage 3 Strategy, (d) ethnic minority achievements, (e) school support staff and (f) information communication technology in schools: infrastructure grants are allocated directly to schools; and on what basis;
	(2)  what proportion of Standards Funds grants are paid directly to schools.

David Miliband: holding answer 5 March 2004
	Standards Fund grants are allocated to local education authorities, not directly to schools. For some grants a minimum proportion must be devolved by local education authorities to their schools. The total proportion of the Standards Fund required to be devolved to schools through the Standards Fund in 2003–04 is 83 per cent.
	The proportions required to be devolved to schools in 2003–04 for the particular grants referred to are:
	
		
			 Grant Proportion required to be devolved (percentage) 
		
		
			 Leadership Incentive Grant 100 
			 National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies 70 
			 Key Stage 3 Strategy 66 
			 Ethnic Minority Achievement 85 
			 School Support Staff 100 
			  Information Communication Technology in Schools: 
			 Infrastructure 96 
		
	
	These grants are devolved to schools on the following basis:
	Leadership Incentive Grant
	£125,000 to each secondary school in Excellence in Cities Areas, Education Action Zones and Excellence Clusters and secondary schools outside those areas where fewer than 30 per cent. of Year-11 pupils attain at least five A*-C grades at GCSE or where more than 35 per cent. of pupils are eligible for free school meals. All schools in receipt of the grant must agree a collaborative plan with their local education authority.
	National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies
	Grant is allocated to schools based on numbers of pupils and distance to the LEA's 2004 Key Stage 2 targets, KS1 reading and maths results, and the number of teachers attending five day maths courses, literacy priority training and training for Year 3 teachers.
	Key Stage 3 Strategy
	Allocated to schools to deliver core training and support to schools across the five strands of the Strategy, plus training for the behaviour and attendance programme. The grant also includes an allocation for training, support to schools identified for additional intensive support and schools with leading professionals and teachers, and schools whose pupils face the greatest challenge in achieving the standards of learning expected of their age.
	Ethnic Minority Achievement
	Local education authorities can determine their own formula for allocating this grant to schools, after consultation with the local Schools Forum.
	School Support Staff
	Local education authorities can determine their own formula for allocating this grant to schools, after consultation with the local Schools Forum.
	Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Schools: Infrastructure
	Local education authorities allocate the grant to schools in line with their ICT Development Plan to deliver improved computer:pupil ratios as well as provide a range of equipment and support.

Schools (Funding)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2004, Official Report, column 519W, on funds/grants, if he will make a statement on the purpose of the Condition Funding grant.

David Miliband: Condition funding was introduce in 2001–02 as a capital grant allocation to all local education authorities for the investment needs of their maintained school buildings as prioritised through the local asset management planning process. It is allocated according to relative need based on condition data provided by all authorities, from a full survey of all their school buildings. It is for capital investment in buildings as defined in the current CIPFA Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in Great Britain: A Statement of Recommended Practice. Where authorities have satisfactory asset management plans, they have autonomy on how this grant is invested. Further details of this grant can be found in my Department's guidance on the programme which, along with guidance on other capital programmes, can be accessed through www.teachernet.gov.uk/schoolscapital. I am arranging for copies of this guidance to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	Although Condition funding is allocated according to condition need, we urge all authorities to join up all capital funding streams locally to achieve the greatest impact in raising school standards, and to secure cross-cutting gains and best value for money investment.
	From 2004–05, to simplify funding programmes, Condition funding allocation becomes part of the Modernisation formulaic capital funding programme for all authorities.

Special Educational Needs

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what resources are available to assist children whose special educational needs are identified before the start of compulsory schooling.

David Miliband: In all but exceptional cases, children below statutory school age will be supported through the resources and intervention arrangements that are normally available to schools and early years settings. Resources have also been made available to local authorities and their Early Years Development Childcare Partnerships (EYDCPs) to ensure that all early years settings have access to advice and support from Early Years Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators as well as specialist teachers and educational psychologists.
	In September 2002, we launched the Early Support Pilot Programme (ESPP) to improve services for babies and very young disabled children and their families. This is a four-year, £13 million programme to develop more co-ordinated, multi-agency support for children and their families. Pathfinder programmes were launched in nine areas in 2003.
	Local authorities are also able to provide access to a home-based learning programme, such as Portage, or the services of a peripatetic support teacher, to help children with SEN learn how to learn.
	For those children with particularly severe and complex needs, local authorities are able to provide places in special schools or resourced provision within mainstream settings from their schools budget.

Special Educational Needs

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many places there were in special schools in (a) the state sector and (b) the non-state sector in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003.

Margaret Hodge: The figures are available for the numbers of pupils in special schools but we do not collect data for the numbers of places in special schools.
	In January 1997, there were 93,018 pupils in maintained special schools, 5,810 pupils with statements of SEN in independent schools and 4,992 pupils with statements of SEN in non-maintained special schools.
	In January 2003, there were 88,930 pupils in maintained special schools, 6,990 pupils with statements of SEN in independent schools and 4,840 pupils with statements of SEN in non-maintained special schools.

Special Educational Needs

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils with special educational needs (a) with a statement and (b) without a statement are educated in (i) special schools, (ii) specialist classes or units within mainstream schools and (iii) other classes within mainstream schools.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 1 March 2004
	Information about the provision being made for pupils with statements of special educational need is collected from local authorities in January each year. In January 2003, the proportions were as follows:
	
		
			 Special educational needs Percentage 
		
		
			 Special schools (including maintained, non-maintained and independent) 37.5 
			 Resourced provision, specialist classes or units within mainstream 7.5 
			 Maintained mainstream schools 53.8 
			 Pupil referral units 0.7 
			 Other independent schools 0.5 
		
	
	Data about the provision for pupils with SEN but without a statement is not collected from local authorities but information is available from the Pupil Level Annual Schools Census. Pupils in specialist classes or units within mainstream are not identified separately. In January 2003, the proportions were as follows:
	
		
			 Special educational needs Percentage 
		
		
			 Special schools (including maintained, non-maintained and independent) 0.2 
			 Maintained mainstream schools (including resourced provision, specialist classes or units within mainstream) 95.7 
			 Pupil referral units 0.5 
			 Independent and non-maintained schools 3.6

Special Educational Needs

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the extent to which statemented needs are being met.

Margaret Hodge: The Education Act 1996 places duties on local education authorities (LEAs) and all LEA-maintained schools to identify, assess and make suitable provision to meet children's special educational needs (SEN). They may make and maintain statements on such children where appropriate, and section 324(5)(a) of the Act imposes a statutory duty on LEAs to arrange that the special educational provision specified in statements they maintain is made for the child, unless the child's parent has made suitable arrangements. We have no reason to believe that LEAs do not meet the needs of statemented children in the great majority of cases. However, it is open to parents and others to complain to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if they consider that an LEA is failing in its statutory duties in relation to implementing and maintaining statements, with a view to him exercising his powers under sections 497 and 497A of the 1996 Act. We consider any such complaints carefully. In addition, the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) monitors the performance of LEAs in meeting their statutory duties, including those relating to children with special educational needs.
	The Government's new SEN "Strategy Removing Barriers to Achievement", launched on 11 February, will build on the improvements to the statutory framework brought about by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act and the SEN Code of Practice, both 2001. We believe that all children with SEN will benefit from the proposals in the Strategy, on which we consulted widely prior to publication.

Student Finance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Student Loan Company's latest estimate is of the likely future level of bad debt from income contingent student loans.

Alan Johnson: There is no real concept of bad debt under the income-contingent loan repayment scheme. This is because repayments are in line with earnings, not in accordance with a credit agreement, and income-contingent loans repayments are collected through the tax system, apart from a few exceptions. Loans are written off only for policy reasons—due to death, becoming disabled and unfit for work, or at the age of 65—which are not considered as bad debt.

Sure Start

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to extend Sure Start's Business Success for Childcare programme to more areas of England in 2004–05, with particular reference to Bassetlaw.

Margaret Hodge: The Business Success for Childcare Programme currently delivers free business support training to childcare providers through a series of workshops supported by workbooks. The programme covers all areas of England.
	To date 11,481 providers have been trained. On evaluation feedback received so far, over 90 per cent. of childminders and group providers have said that they feel able to improve their business as a result of the training they have received.

Teachers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to retain teachers.

David Miliband: We have the highest number of teachers in schools for over twenty years, which is a reflection of our success not only in recruitment but also retention. We are encouraging teachers to remain in the profession by improving the environment and working conditions in which they are employed, through our key worker housing scheme, through ongoing and improved investment in behaviour management, through our radical school workforce reforms— supported by our union and other partners on the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group—and through the significant increases in teachers' salaries since 1997. These policies have met the key concerns of teachers and are all designed to make the profession more attractive both to potential new recruits and those already in our schools. We are also funding recruitment strategy managers who are currently working in over 100 LEAs across the country helping to provide a co-ordinated local approach to recruitment and retention.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Drugs Training

John Mann: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many magistrates have received specialist drugs training.

Christopher Leslie: Statutory responsibility for the training of magistrates currently rests with the 42 independent Magistrates' Courts' Committees (MCCs). There is no central data collected on the information requested.
	However, following a survey that was undertaken by the Justices' Clerks' Society (JCS) towards the end of last year, it is known that all magistrates have had access to basic training on Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTO). The survey also revealed a general desire from magistrates for more information to be made available to them and as a consequence a working group was established and is currently producing guidance materials under the auspices of the Criminal Justice Intervention Programme (CJIP). In addition a specialist training pack is being developed by the JCS with the approval of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), for magistrates who deal with DTTO review hearings.

Emergency Protection Orders

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight of 2 March 2004, Official Report, columns 852–53W, on emergency protection orders, how many ex-parte applications were made and what proportion was granted in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) Kent.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 March 2004, Official Report, column 852W.

Parliamentary Elections

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what appraisal his Department has made of the adequacy of arrangements for registering electors for parliamentary elections.

Christopher Leslie: The Representation of the People Regulations 2001 introduced a number of changes to electoral registration arrangements, including a scheme of "rolling registration" that enables names to be added to the electoral register at any time of the year, and enabling persons without a conventional address to register to vote. The Government considers that the recent changes to registration procedures have both made it easier to register to vote and resulted in a more accurate and up to date register. The Government will keep under review the arrangements for registering electors and is currently considering recommendations on the subject made by the independent Electoral Commission.

Protection from Harassment Act

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  what the total number of applications alleging a breach of a section 42 of the Family Law Act 1996 non-molestation injunction was, broken down by (a) whether or not the breach was proved and (b) in the event the breach was proved whether there was (i) an immediate prison sentence, (ii) a suspended prison sentence, (iii) a fine and (iv) another noncustodial disposal in (A) 2001, (B) 2002 and (C) 2003;
	(2)  how many civil non-harassment injunction orders were made under section 3(1) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by sex of the respondent;
	(3)  how many orders for the payment of damages there were under section 3(2) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by sex of the respondent; and what extent of overlap with orders for section 3 non-harassment injunctions there was;
	(4)  how many applications alleging a breach of a section 3(1) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 non-harassment injunction there were in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by (i) sex of the respondent/defendant, (ii) whether the (A) civil contempt of court procedure by section 3(3)-(5) and (B) criminal procedure by section 3(6)-(7) was used and (iii) whether the breach was proved.

Christopher Leslie: The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Protection from Harassment Act

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many applications to civil courts included a claim for injunctive or financial relief under section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by sex of the respondent.

Christopher Leslie: Information held centrally relates only to applications made for an injunction under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. During 2001 there were 392 such applications, in 2002 there were 499 and in 2003 the figure was 576. Information relating to the remainder of the question is not available centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Temporary Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department or its predecessors paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available.

Christopher Leslie: My Department has a national contract for the provision of agency workers. Information regarding usage in the current financial year is only available for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 December 2003. During that period the estimated average number of agency staff employed was 255, which equates to 1.96 per cent. of the total staff employed.
	Information regarding the expenditure under this contract is provided in the following table.
	Information relating to workers employed through other agencies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	My Department uses agency workers to meet short-term requirements and in areas where it is difficult to recruit and retain staff.
	
		Use of department's national contract for provision of agency workers
		
			 Financial year Expenditure 
		
		
			 2001–02  
			 Lord Chancellor's Department and Associated Offices Not applicable—didnot begin usingcontract untilfollowing year 
			 Court Service—including the Immigration Appellate Authority £2,360,000 
			   
			 2002–03  
			 Lord Chancellor's Department and Associated Offices £276,000 
			 Court Services—including the Immigration Appellate Authority £4,692,000 
			 2003–04(28)  
			 Department for Constitutional Affairs and Associated Offices £849,500 
			 Court Service—including the Immigration Appellate Authority £2,939,000 
		
	
	(28) Information available 1 April 2003 to 31 December 2003 only

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Gloucestershire Emergency Services

Nigel Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the future of Gloucestershire's Emergency Services Tri-service headquarters in Gloucester.

Nick Raynsford: The Government's response to the consultation exercise on regional fire and rescue control rooms was announced on 4 March. The options are open on the location of the fire and rescue control room for the south west region. The regional control centres will be able to communicate effectively with police and ambulance controls as well as with each other.

Arm's Length Management Organisations

John Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the arm's length management organisations approved to date, broken down by local authority; and which have a specific regeneration remit.

Keith Hill: The local authorities which have received approval under section 27 of the Housing Act 1985 to delegate their housing management responsibilities to an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) are listed below. None of the ALMOs have a specific regeneration remit. The primary objective of all ALMOs is to bring the stock up to the Decent Homes standard and provide a high quality housing management service. The ALMOs work with their local authorities to ensure that the work to achieve Decent Homes is planned and implemented in parallel with other investment, including investment with wider regeneration objectives.
	
		
			 Local authority ALMO 
		
		
			 Ashfield District Council Ashfield Homes 
			 London Borough of Barnet Barnet Homes 
			 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Berneslai Homes 
			 Blyth Valley Borough Council Blyth Valley Housing 
			 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council Bolton at Home 
			 London Borough of Brent Brent Housing Partnership 
			 Carrick District Council Carrick Homes 
			 Cheltenham Borough Council Cheltenham Borough Homes 
			 Colchester Borough Council Colchester Borough Homes 
			 Derby City Council Derby Homes 
			 Gateshead Council Gateshead Housing Company 
			 High Peak Borough Council High Peak Community Housing 
			 London Borough of Hillingdon Hillingdon Homes 
			 London Borough of Hounslow Hounslow Homes 
			 Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Kensington and Chelsea TMO 
			 Kirklees Metropolitan Council Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing 
			 Leeds City Council Leeds West Homes, Leeds South Homes, Leeds South East Homes, Leeds North West Homes, Leeds North East Homes and Leeds East Homes 
			 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council First Choice Homes 
			 Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council Rochdale Boroughwide Housing 
			 Salford City Council New Prospect Housing 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Tristar Homes 
			 London Borough of Waltham Forest Ascham Homes 
			 City of Westminster CityWest Homes 
			 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council Wigan and Leigh Housing 
			 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council Solihull Community Housing 
			 South Lakeland District Council South Lakes Housing 
			 Warrington Borough Council Golden Gates Housing

Correspondence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when a reply will be sent to the letter of 8 January from the Head of Planning at the Isle of Wight Council to the Government Office for the South East.

Keith Hill: The Government Office for the South East wrote to the Isle of Wight Council on 4 March, apologising for the delay and explaining that it had tried on several occasions to discuss the matter with Council officials, but without success. The Government Office remains ready to do all it can to help resolve any outstanding difficulties.

Council Tax

David Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list for each local authority in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes the level of uncollected council tax for each year since 1996–97 (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of total council tax revenue due.

Nick Raynsford: The available information requested is tabled below.
	
		Uncollected council taxes -- £000
		
			 Amounts uncollected in-year 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Milton Keynes 3,189 3,196 1,998 2,144 3,097 3,860 3,223 
			 Districts in Buckinghamshire
			 Aylesbury Vale 1,231 1,168 1,773 1,744 1,466 1,004 1,007 
			 Chiltern 331 337 470 496 442 398 403 
			 South Bucks 233 125 386 450 886 484 293 
			 Wycombe 1,361 1,212 1,308 1,372 1,116 1,712 1,769 
			 Percentage uncollected in-vear
			 Milton Keynes 8.9 8.9 5.0 4.7 6.3 7.0 5.4 
			 Districts in Buckinghamshire
			 Aylesbury Vale 3.8 3.3 4.5 4.0 3.1 2.0 1.8 
			 Chiltern 1.4 1.3 1.6 1.6 1.3 1.1 1.0 
			 South Bucks 1.5 0.7 2.0 2.1 3.8 2.0 1.1 
			 Wycombe 3.9 3.2 3.1 3.0 2.3 3.3 3.1 
		
	
	Source
	QRC4 returns
	The figures relate only to amounts of council tax uncollected during the financial year to which they relate. This is because the figures reported to central government on amounts collected for previous years are not broken down by financial year. Council taxes nevertheless continue to be collected after the end of the financial year, and so the amounts and percentages that are ultimately uncollected for any financial year will be lower than those shown in the table.

Disabled Employees

Paul Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out the number of employees in his Department who have a disability, broken down by disability type.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (excluding Government Offices and its agencies) has 2,107.5 full time equivalent (FTE) staff, of which 52 staff have declared that they have a disability. The range of disabilities declared by these staff are:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Hearing 8 
			 Hearing Impairment Plus (29)— 
			 Learning (29)— 
			 Learning Difficulties Plus (29)— 
			 Mental Illness (29)— 
			 Mental Illness Plus (29)— 
			 Mobility (29)— 
			 Mobility Plus (29)— 
			 Other (29)— 
			 Physical Co-ordination Difficulties Alone (29)— 
			 Physical Co-ordination Difficulties Plus (29)— 
			 Reduced Physical Capacity 6 
			 Reduced Physical Capacity Plus 9 
			 Speech (29)— 
			 Vision 11 
			 Visual Impairment Plus (29)— 
		
	
	(29) For these disabilities the actual number is not published in order to protect the privacy of the individual in line with exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Non-domestic Rates

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money was collected in 2003–04 from businesses in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley in non-domestic rates; and how much was passed on to (i) Lancashire county council and (ii) Chorley council.

Nick Raynsford: A total of £236,019,772 was collected in non-domestic rates from businesses in Lancashire in 2003–04 of which £16,592,430 was collected in Chorley.
	The revenue collected from the national non-domestic rates is re-distributed to all local authorities on the basis of domestic population, rather than on the amount raised in the local authority area. In the case of Lancashire, £304,417,378 was passed on to Lancashire county council and Chorley council received £3,508,4937.

Homelessness

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of Tower Hamlets' decision to use its dedicated homelessness strategy funding to pay Cash Incentive Scheme grants to registered social landlords' tenants to relinquish their tenancy and buy a property on the open market.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is aware that Tower Hamlets has been paying grants to social housing tenants to enable them to purchase a property in the private sector. Such grants can be an effective way of releasing social housing to provide accommodation for homeless households and so relieve pressures on temporary accommodation and help to meet the Government's target to end the use of bed and breakfast accommodation for families with children. In 2003–04 Tower Hamlets plans to use £300,000 for such grants, out of a total allocation from the Homelessness Directorate of £876,000. Other plans for use of the homelessness grant included: increasing the supply of temporary accommodation in the private sector; employment of additional staff to increase the homelessness prevention service; and establishing a homelessness forum.

Housing

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many intermediate housing properties were constructed in each London borough in each of the last six years.

Keith Hill: The term intermediate housing is relatively new and there is no generally agreed definition. The Housing Investment Programme Housing Strategy Statistical returns by London local authorities show the following numbers of completions for new build housing for shared ownership.
	
		
			  Outturn Projected  
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 Total 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 54 38 90 87 78 106 453 
			 Barnet 0 0 12 48 71 137 268 
			 Bexley 7 0 11 5 43 5 71 
			 Brent 65 97 42 0 58 100 362 
			 Bromley 0 0 13 9 7 30 59 
			 Camden 48 87 55 42 6 43 281 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Croydon 138 111 64 185 74 65 637 
			 Ealing 66 13 2 41 74 116 312 
			 Enfield 55 0 32 37 81 23 228 
			 Greenwich 56 19 14 75 49 205 418 
			 Hackney 0 0 147 193 254 356 950 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 63 26 62 25 26 111 313 
			 Haringey 0 25 64 58 118 214 479 
			 Harrow 3 16 0 7 24 0 50 
			 Havering 0 0 19 10 0 20 49 
			 Hillingdon 30 13 41 18 71 120 293 
			 Hounslow 40 11 12 57 32 34 186 
			 Islington 0 38 65 146 73 49 371 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 74 61 25 0 17 48 225 
			 Kingston 0 3 17 0 0 0 20 
			 Lambeth 0 44 10 20 21 65 160 
			 Lewisham 114 137 150 53 100 32 586 
			 Merton 0 4 1 23 9 29 66 
			 Newham 51 97 73 113 160 565 1,059 
			 Redbridge 0 0 41 6 46 88 181 
			 Richmond 36 10 24 12 25 32 139 
			 Southwark 5 28 19 52 67 117 288 
			 Sutton 280 1084 313 15 58 44 1,794 
			 Tower Hamlets 114 196 161 31 237 140 879 
			 Waltham Forest 0 0 61 40 3 11 115 
			 Wandsworth 75 76 36 20 60 256 523 
			 Westminster 36 33 116 77 70 29 361 
			 Total 1,410 2,267 1,792 1,505 2,012 3,190 12,176

Housing

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authority dwellings in Stroud District fail the Decent Home standard; and what estimate he has made of how much it will cost to bring them up to that standard.

Keith Hill: The latest figures that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has for Stroud date from 1 April 2003, when the local authority reported a total stock of 5,429 of which 1,357 (25 per cent.) were non-decent.
	Stroud currently estimate the cost of making their stock decent at £3,070,000 in their 2003 HIP Business Plan statistical appendices. However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister understands that the council is due to consider a report on financial and other implications next week, which means these figures may be subject to change.

Housing

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with Stroud District Council following the unsuccessful ballot on large-scale voluntary transfer.

Keith Hill: A meeting between officials of the Government Office for the South West, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Community Housing Task Force and Stroud District Council is due to take place on 8 March.

Housing

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much he estimates Stroud District Council spent on the large scale voluntary transfer ballot.

Keith Hill: Stroud District council spent £16,305 on the ballot.

Local Government Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much central Government funding was given to each local authority in each of the last 15 years, broken down by region.

Nick Raynsford: The available information has been made available in the Library of the House.

Planning

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the budget of the Sustainable Communities Policy will be allocated to the implementation of the stand-alone self-sustaining three-dimensional spatial concept for a city along the Thames from the Docklands to the Estuary.

Keith Hill: In "Sustainable Communities, Building for the Future" we announced that funding of £446 million over 3 years would be made available to the Thames Gateway as part of a total budget of almost £22 billion (see annex A). This will be used to tackle the barriers to development which have deterred investment in the Gateway. It will help regenerate existing communities and open up new development opportunities for housing and employment on major brownfield sites such as Ebbsfleet and Eastern Quarry in Kent and Barking Reach, which is the largest brownfield site in London.

Regional Government

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he estimates that the running costs of the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Assembly will be more than the running costs of the two-tier system.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said in the White Paper, "Your Region, Your Choice" that an elected assembly would have running costs of around £25 million a year. The potential savings from restructuring of local government in the area of North Yorkshire county council will not be known until the Boundary Committee for England reports in May on its recommended options for local government restructuring in North Yorkshire, and voters have had their say in a local government referendum.

Regional Government

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate the total cost of (a) holding the referendum for a Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Assembly, (b) setting up the Assembly and (c) holding the elections for the Assembly.

Nick Raynsford: (a) The Government have recently consulted on The Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendums (Counting Officers' Charges) (England) Order 2004, that will establish the costs of conducting the referendums. Based on the figures in the draft order the cost of holding a referendum will be £1.47 per elector, if everyone eligible votes.
	(b) Assemblies will cost around £30 million to set up.
	(c) The set up costs include around £10 million for the first elections.

Rodent Infestation

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to publish data on rodent infestations in domestic premises based on the rolling annual English House Condition Survey.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The English house Condition Survey was re-organised as a continuous survey from financial year 2002–03. First results from the survey will be available for analysis from end 2004 with a view to reporting in mid 2005 and based on data from the period 2002–03 to 2003–04. In future years, annual results will be available based on rolling combinations of two year data sets (ie next results will be available for analysis by end 2005 based on the period 2003–04 and 2004–05). This approach will provide a robust base for analysis and monitoring of change.
	ODPM expect to publish a core set of national results, not covering rodent information but focussed on decent homes, using the combined two-year data set (2002–03 to 2003–04) by early next year. These results will report the condition of the housing stock as a mid-point average over the two year period (ie as at 1 April 2003) as well as change over time (ie since 2001). For subsequent years, core results will be released annually based on overlapping data sets.

Rodent Infestation

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to publish the results of the 2001 English Home Conditions Survey relating to rodent infestations in domestic properties; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Central Science Laboratory's analyses of the 2001 English House Condition Survey data are nearing completion and Defra are expected to have the report by the end of March.
	The report will subsequently be placed in the public domain following further consideration by the Department.

Small Business Funding

Barbara Roche: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) sufficient funding is available for small business start-ups in inner city areas and (b) sufficient information about that funding is relayed to local communities.

Yvette Cooper: To address the barriers to enterprise affecting the most disadvantaged communities in the country the Government has created 2000 Enterprise Areas, where businesses may benefit from one of several new or existing forms of Government assistance. These include help from the Phoenix Fund, which has been allocated £140 million to 2006 to provide finance for organisations providing funding for small businesses in disadvantaged communities, and encourages innovative ideas to promote and support enterprise in disadvantaged areas and in groups currently under-represented in terms of business ownership. Other measures designed to encourage enterprise include stamp duty exemptions, targeted support from the Inland Revenue and HM Customs, and neighbourhood renewal projects. Help is also available to community enterprises through the Adventure Capital Fund. Although it is not possible to put a monetary value on all these measures at this stage, they all provide real financial inducements for new businesses.
	Regional Development Agencies, Local authorities, Business Link Operators and Local Strategic Partnerships play a significant role in boosting the awareness and uptake of relevant measures by local businesses and entrepreneurs.

Waste

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of local authority expenditure was spent on (a) waste disposal and (b) waste recycling in each of the last five years.

Nick Raynsford: The proportion of local authority net current expenditure spent on waste disposal in the last five years is in the following table. Waste recycling costs are not reported separately.
	
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 1999–00 1.45 
			 2000–01 1.44 
			 2001–02 1.47 
			 2002–03 1.45 
			 2003–04(30) 1.51 
		
	
	(30) Budgeted figures
	Source:
	1999–2000 to 2002–03 R06 and RS forms and 2003–04 Budget Estimate Returns

Waste

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how local authority funding for (a) waste disposal and (b) recycling is calculated.

Nick Raynsford: Central Government funding for waste disposal and recycling is provided mainly through formula grant (Revenue support grant plus redistributed business rates) to local authorities.
	Recycling is the responsibility of both the waste disposal and waste collection authorities. It is therefore part of the group of services included in both the county-level and the district-level Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPCS) Formula Spending Share (FSS). The formula used for both the county-level and District-Level EPCS FSS can be found in Chapter 4 of the Local Government Finance Report (England).
	Formula Spending Shares are neither grant nor are they the Government's assessment of how much an authority should spend on a particular service. They are simply the formulae used in the calculation of formula grant. Formula grant is unhypothecated i.e. it may be spent by the authority for any purpose. It is up to each authority to decide how much should be spent on each service given its local priorities.

PRIME MINISTER

Butler Inquiry

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Prime Minister what the estimated costs of the Butler Inquiry are.

Tony Blair: The Butler Review is currently under way. I have asked it to report before the summer recess. The costs of the review will be published once it has concluded.

Dalai Lama

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what account he took of Anglo-Chinese relations before deciding not to meet the Dalai Lama on his planned visit to the UK.

Tony Blair: None. I am unfortunately unable to meet the Dalai Lama due to existing diary commitments. However, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be meeting the Dalai Lama during his visit.

Departmental Communications

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many staff are employed in his Office to work in the communications field, broken down by (a) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others;
	(2)  what the total expenditure on communications for the Office has been in 2003–04, broken down by expenditure on (a) Government Information and Communication Service staff and (b) other staff, broken down by (i) press officers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) others.

Tony Blair: At 1 March, there were 11 staff working as Press Officers of which 10 are members of the Government Information and Communication Service. There are two special advisers who are Press Officers, one special adviser who works in the Strategic Communications Unit and nine civil servants who either work in the Strategic Communications Unit or provide administrative support.
	Final cost figures for 2003–04 are not yet available.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Prime Minister whether a senior Cabinet Minister will visit Gibraltar during the tercentenary celebrations.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answers the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. MacShane) gave to the hon. Member for Poole (Mr. Syms) on 2 March 2004, Official Report, column 749.
	Ministerial visits to Gibraltar in 2004 are currently under consideration and have not been finalised.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received in relation to human rights violations alleged to have been committed by United Kingdom forces in Iraq.

Tony Blair: The information is not held in the form requested. However, since 1 January 2003 I have received over 160,000 letters about Iraq including on human rights issues.

Irish Historical Documents

Paul Marsden: To ask the Prime Minister which documents are held by his office written by (a) P. H. Pearse, (b) Thomas J Clarke, (c) Thomas Macdonagh, (d) Edward Daly, (e) William Pearse, (f) Michael O'Hanrahan, (g) Joseph Mary Plunkett, (h) John MacBride, (i) Sean Heuston, (j) Michael Mallin, (k) Eamonn Ceannt, (l) Con Colbert, (m) Thomas Kent, (n) Sean MacDiarmada, (o) James Connolly and (p) Sir Roger Casement.

Tony Blair: As far as I am aware, none.

Special Advisers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Prime Minister what the total cost of special advisers was in 1996–97.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 31 January 2003, Official Report, column 1056W.

Minister for Men

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to introduce a post of Minister for Men.

Tony Blair: I have no plans to do so.